Solar Panels: Is Going Off-Grid an Affordable Option For You?

If you were to install solar panels on your home, could you just go “off grid” and cut out the electric company completely?  Not having to rely on the energy company for your electricity is an attractive proposition. No more electric bills arriving in your mailbox. No further dealings with the utility company for any reason. Is this a possibility for you and your family? The answer will depend upon the typical weather in your area and how much money you’re able to afford maintaining your own power system.

Discover How Much Simpler Going Off-Grid Is!

First First of all|Firstly], consider where you live.  Do you live in a part of the world that is sunny much of the time, or do you have lots of gray and cloudy days?  As a result, you will need batteries for storing electricity to use at night and on overcast days.

That’s where costs begin to add up.  You’ll have to buy and maintain the amount of large DC (direct current) batteries necessary to store a couple of days worth of power for cloudy days.  You’ll need ample storage space for that number of batteries and you’ll also need to be prepared to replace them periodically.

The Domestic Off-Grid Solution to Energy

In addition, having a backup generator is a good idea for extended periods of cloudy weather that use up the power stored in the batteries.  The generator requires fuel and you’ll have to store that also. Generators normally use either gas or diesel fuel.  But that seems inconsistent with the “green” purpose of solar panels, so you’ll probably want to use biodiesel. So while it is certainly possible to go “off grid,” the project is not simple or cheap.

A more practical solution may be “net metering.”  You can check to determine if your local utility company offers this program. Net metering is a practical way to reduce your power bills, yet still have power available at night and during extended periods of overcast weather.  Net metering allows you to get credits back from the power company for excess electricity that your solar panels produce during the day. Then, at night or on days when there is not enough sunlight, you simply use electricity supplied by your local power company. You won’t need to store stacks of DC batteries in your basement or garage. You won’t be totally “off grid”, but you can save a significant amount of money on your monthly electric bills.  Some months you may owe nothing!

Adopting DIY For Off-Grid Household Solar Energy Installation

So if you live on a large parcel of land and have lots of extra room 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 your part of world gets little sun, “net metering” will probably be your best bet.

Technorati Tags:: build solar panels, build solar power, build solar water heater, building solar panel, homemade solar cell, how solar power works, how to make solar cells, how to solar cell, how to solar panel, make a solar panel, make solar power, off grid, off grid solar power, sol