Going Off Grid

Why go off-grid?

If your property (or boat/caravan/RV) isn't connected to the grid, there really is no need to ever do so. 

If it is connected, your energy supplier is probably charging you more than 50 cents per kilowatt hour at peak times, and your energy bill probably strikes terror in your heart every time it arrives.

On the other hand, if you have already made the step to solar and have put some panels on your roof, you might well be selling energy to your supplier at a few cents per kwh, and then buying it back at a multiple of that even during the cheapest tariff timeslots.

If you go off grid, you can have a reliable and constant power supply, generated for free, without power cuts and power spikes, and it'll pay for itself within a few years, and it'll last for much longer than you might think...

• No electricity bills
• No guilt about using a heater when you need it
• Less blown globes from power surges
• No power cuts
• Much better for the environment

But is it practical?

Well, yes, even without government incentives.

The systems are quite simple - they need a bit of thought putting into the design, careful installation, and you might want a backup, such as a generator, but they aren't unsightly, dirty or noisy, and you should get financial payback within a few years, but don't expect it to make financial sense alone - the reasons for going off grid need to be a bit more than that. See our blog at this link: BLOG

More to the point, if your house is worth $500,000, it'll probably cost you about 1/2 of 1 percent of the property value to be self-sufficient on energy production, and anything that you install will surely add value to your property. Meanwhile, you'll be doing the right thing for the environment, and the solar panels on your roof will also keep your house cooler in summer and warmer in winter, just by being there.

Is it as good as all that?

Yes, it is. People hear scuttle about the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the manufacture of solar panels. The truth? It takes less than 6 months for full payback of those emissions and a good panel will produce for over 25 years, so about 98% of the energy is on the positive side of the balance sheet.

But aren't panels made in dodgy places to variable standards? Not really, no. Virtually all the cells (which make up the panels) are made in highly efficient production plants in Asia, regardless of where the panel is assembled, and the quality and reliability is generally excellent. Buy from a reputable supplier and you should get a good warranty on workmanship, and an expectation of at least 80% effectiveness 25 years hence.

So why hasn't it caught on?

A cynic might put it down to vested interests in coal and other energy production. Government commitment in other countries has moved things along faster (at the time of writing this, Germany is capable of delivering more than 50% of the nation's energy through renewable resources, for example, whereas Australia is around 3%) but they often don't rely on coal tax or carbon tax revenue to prop up government spending (at this point our resident anarchist has gone to take his medication).

The other thing, of course, is that there's a bit of technical wizardry needed to design things properly, and there ain't many wizards around these days, but there are some - only a phone call away - 02 9970 6999

Seriously, though, this is what you need:

• One or more ways of generating power. Solar panels are easy, and work during daylight hours (not just in direct sunshine). wind generators are a bit more complex and less reliable, but they work day and night, as long as there's a bit of a breeze
• Something to take the power generated, and use it to charge batteries - usually a solar regulator (which can be part of a device called an inverter - see below)
• Batteries - to store your power so that you can use it all day and night, and even when your power generators aren't doing anything. these chaps can be big, or small, and generally live outside in a tin shed, or in the back of the garage
• An inverter - your batteries store power at 12 or 24 or 48 volts or whatever, and your house (or boat) will want it at 240 volts. the inverter takes in low voltage (direct current - DC) and puts out high voltage (alternating current - AC)
• Some fuses, some bits of wire, a few rudimentary tools, and a good supply of tea (especially if we are doing the install for you)
• And someone appropriately qualified to connect the inverter to your house
• You'll also need a letter to your power supplier to tell them that they are no longer needed. This is an opportunity to be creative!

What's the downside?

Not much. You'll need to spend a bit and, if you want plenty of surplus capacity it'll cost you an extra bit. You'll need to put up with some solar panels, and you might also want a wind generator. You'll need to give some garage space to a couple of pieces of technology full of diodes, flashing lights, etc, and the batteries have to go somewhere dry (allow about 1-2 square metres of floor space). 

On the other hand, these installations are very safe, you don't need to worry about things giving off noxious gas or going "bang" when you least expect it, and you'll be the envy of your neighbours as you enjoy free pool heating.

Your dog will be depressed. No more meter-readers to chase. Might cost you an occasional bone to get back in the good books.

So how do i find out more?

We're a phone call away (02 9970 6999) or enquiry@batterybusiness.com.au

We'd love to chat.