Our home is 100% off grid, supported by solar and wind power. Our solar system has been providing our power since 2020 and, if you were to visit, you probably wouldn’t guess we were off grid. We use all the usual conveniences including our 220v well, a washer/dryer, a gas stove with an electric ignition, a nine cubic-foot refrigerator/freezer with an icemaker and, on occasion, we even run a freeze dryer to preserve food from the garden!
Other appliances, such as our standing freezer and water heater, run on propane. Basically, we enjoy all the modern conveniences that we used to have in town but with a different mindset. Utilizing the power of the sun demands an awareness of our system’s limitations and mindfulness regarding our usage.
Everyone living off grid does it with their own goals in mind and everyone does it differently. Some families require more than our 2700 watts to run their home, while others need a lot less. Some people chose to have someone else design and install their solar system while others, like us, prefer to do it ourselves - and pay a lot less!
Four years and many Kilowatt hours later, we’re going to share the details of our system, what we’ve learned, mistakes we’ve made, and how it’s going running our own personal utility company.