If you were to fit solar panels on your home, could you just go “off grid” and eliminate the electric company completely? Not having to depend on the energy company for your electricity is an attractive notion. No more electric bills coming to your mailbox. No further dealings with the energy company for any reason. Is this possible for you and your family? The answer will very much rely upon the type of weather in your area and how much money you’re able to afford maintaining your own energy system.
The Net Metering Method of Going Off-Grid
Firstly, consider the prevailing weather in your part of the world. Is the prevailing weather in your area after you install solar panels on your home, they only generate electricity while the sun is shining on them. So you will require batteries for storing electricity for use at night and on cloudy days.
That’s where costs begin to add up. You’ll have to buy and maintain the number of large DC (direct current) batteries necessary to store one to three days worth of power for cloudy days. You’ll need ample storage space for all of those batteries, and you’ll have to plan for the expense of replacing them periodically.
Build Your Own Off-Grid Energy
In addition, having a backup generator is a good idea in case of extended periods of overcast weather that deplete the power stored in the batteries. The generator will require fuel, so you’ll need to store that also. Usually generators are powered by gas or diesel fuel. But that seems inconsistent with the “green” purpose of solar panels, so you’ll probably want to use biodiesel. So, yes, you can go “off grid”, but it’s not an easy or cheap project.
A more feasible solution may be “net metering.” You can check to determine if your local utility company offers this program. With net metering you can significantly lower your electric bill, and have all the power you need at night and during extended cloudy periods. Net metering allows you to receive credits back from the electric company for excess electricity that your solar panels generate during the day. Then, at night or on days when there is not enough sunlight, you simply use electricity supplied by your local utility company. You wouldn’t need to store banks of DC batteries in your basement or garage. Although you won’t be living “off grid”, you’ll save a significant amount of money on your monthly bill. Some months you may owe nothing!
The Off-Grid System To The Power Crises
So if you live on a large parcel of land and have an extra barn or outbuilding to store your DC batteries in, going “off grid” could be feasible for you. But if you live in a small place, have no large storage space, and you’re already parking your car on the street because the garage is too full, “net metering” will probably be your best bet.