[Vision2020] Question to Anyone. How do you get off the grid?

[Ted Moffett]

Totally off grid is an option many who adopt alternative energy for homes
do not pursue.  Many now are still on the grid, supplemented by alternative
solar or wind energy, able to sell excess electrical power, if this is
generated, sending it out on the grid from the home.  Totally off grid is
sometimes not recommended when wind or sun are too variable to assure 24/7
baseline power, or when the alternative energy system needed to supply
always on baseline is too large or expensive.

I visited with a farmer west of Spokane who is totally off grid using wind
power, more practical in that area known for its winds.  The wind system
was sourced from a small time wind energy business near Spokane.  The owner
of this system practiced energy conservation as much as possible, which of
course is one of the primary goals in solving the energy/fossil
fuel/climate change puzzle.  A total systems approach to energy generation,
use and conservation is required, exemplified in the Saranac Building in
Spokane, which anyone interested in alternative energy and conservation
should study:
http://community.greencupboards.com/2011/04/12/the-greenest-building-in-spokane/

Solar thermal is also an option for homes, for heating water or living
space.  I personally know of a home solar thermal installation in Moscow
that the owner of insisted will pay for itself over the lifespan of the
system.  An in-depth cost analysis was done to demonstrate these savings
compared to the thermal energy generated from grid electric.  You can
easily research this topic, so I won't continue to pepper this post with
references, as I sometimes do... But as with solar or wind electric, a
large upfront cost, plus the physical impacts on their home or environment,
discourages many from adopting, even if a long term cost analysis indicates
savings over a 15 to 20 year system lifespan, compared to grid power over
the same time.

To compute the costs of home electrical from wind or solar, the total costs
of purchasing and installing the system, plus maintenance and repairs, over
the entire lifespan of the system, must be figured, compared to the costs
of receiving this power from the grid, which of course involves
uncertainties regarding the future cost of grid power.  Most assume grid
power rates will continue to increase, and given a solar or wind system
lifespan of 15- 20 years, the cost benefits of solar or wind should
increase over time.

Again. you can Google this topic and learn more than I know.

But for some areas of the US, some very smart business people are already
selling and installing solar for homes et. al. guaranteeing savings on the
electric bill immediately after installation, not 10 or 15 years away.

Bloomberg News' special series, "Venture," interviewed the founders of
Solar City, who are expanding selling solar systems to home and businesses
on a lease basis, where the savings start on the first bill:
http://www.solarcity.com/

Either these business people don't know what they are doing, or solar is in
the long term a money saving and for them profit generating means of
generating home electricity compared to grid power, at least in some areas
of the US.
------------------------------------------
Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett

On Thu, Mar 22, 2012 at 6:20 AM, Donovan Arnold <
donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:

>
>
> Does anyone know how to get off the electrical grid? I would like to just
> buy some solar panels and hook them up. How many watts does it take to run
> a household? I saw this at Costco;
>
>
> http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11671549&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|3960|21248|3404&N=4043955&Mo=3&No=0&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=3404&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&hierPath=3960*21248*3404*&topnav
> =
>
> 260 Watts, max power? What does that mean? How many would I need to buy? Anyone
> know? Thanks.
>
>
> Donovan Arnold
>
>
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