Off Grid Solar Panels

Creating an efficient and reliable off-grid renewable energy system requires careful planning and consideration of several key factors. It is one of the most rewarding (and sometimes the most frustrating) part of building your off-grid home because for me it is the time that living off grid feels more like a sustainable lifestyle rather than just a camping expedition in the woods. You might not want to have an extravagant power setup but for some of us it makes living off-grid a whole lot more comfortable. 

Understanding Your Energy Needs

Before you start setting up your off-grid power source, you need to assess your power consumption needs. You can do this a variety of ways.

If you are trying to work out how much power you need to generate and store, these are the options I would recommend:

  1. Use your power bill to determine your daily and seasonal energy usage
  2. Track your power usage for various devices using a power monitor. These are inexpensive and can be plugged in to your power outlets to track the individual power consumption. These can be handy if you are trying to implement energy-saving practices and want to work out what appliances will reduce your overall consumption. For example, when I was downsizing and trying to work out what cooking device to take with me, my air fryer was the overall winner due to the quick cooking time and I gave away my slow cooker as it just slowly drained away too much power.
  3. If you aren’t able to track your current or previous power usage, you can create a list of the appliances you intend to use and either look up the specific consumption rates from the manufacturer or you can use a guide to estimate the likely consumption. Just remember, appliances will vary widely and this will just be a vague guide but it will still be better than not planning at all.

Options for Generating Renewable Energy

Once you have calculated your estimated energy consumption, you need to consider the different options for power generation. You could use a combination of methods but your available options will be determined based on the climate and natural conditions of the land. You may also need to research whether any of the options require permits in your area and how difficult or time consuming it will be to apply for them.

These are the 3 main sources of generating renewable energy for an off-grid property:

  • Solar Power – if you have ample sunlight available throughout the year, this one is a good option
  • Wind Power – you will need to have an area that has relatively consistent wind speeds
  • Hydropower – if you have access to a source of flowing water, you may be able to implement a micro-hydro system

Solar Power

Solar is my preferred choice because there are so many options now that you can build a reasonable solar setup for a relatively economical cost. This of course depends on how much power you need to generate and store, how much direct bright sunlight you have available and whether you are able to install it yourself or if you need someone to do it for you.

I personally use Renogy products as they seem to be a mid-range price and I have found them to be relatively high quality and they have some good kits that come with everything you need to set up a basic system and have easy to understand installation instructions. I bought the 400W kit that comes ready to set up and I am personally very happy with it. All you need to add is a battery to store your power. 

Another benefit of solar is that once you set it up, the maintenance required to keep the system performing is very low. To increase the efficiency of your solar panels there are options of tracking systems to ensure the PV panels are pointing in the best direction to capture the most amount of energy.

Wind Power

If you are considering wind power as your preferred source of generating electricity, you should be aware that this is usually the most expensive option. You should also evaluate the feasibility based on local wind speeds and zoning regulations.

There are many different sizes and blade options available for small home wind turbines so you should be able to find one to match your energy needs. Important site considerations include the importance of placement and height for optimal performance so you will want to test the wind speed over time in different locations or install the turbine in a manner that makes it easy to change or adjust.

Hydro Power

When assessing the potential for a small-scale micro-hydro system it is important to think about access to local water sources and availability of flowing water. If you are living in a colder climate and everything turns into ice every winter, it might not be the most feasible option.

Environmental impact and local regulations will also play a large part in assessing the viability of a hydropower option. Understanding the legal and ecological impact of installing a micro-hydro system in your area is important to ensure you are not disrupting any natural processes such as blocking salmon from swimming upstream.

If the conditions are suitable, micro-hydro systems can be relatively easy and cost-effective to set up and they can provide possibly the most reliable source of energy since they will generate power even overnight unlike solar.

Off Grid Hydro Power

Energy Storage Solutions

Once you have decided which method of power generation is best for your circumstances, you need to decide how to store that energy. There are many different types of batteries (lead-acid, lithium-ion, saltwater) and they have varying capacities, life spans, and maintenance needs.

Lithium-ion and deep-cycle lead-acid (AGM) batteries are the most common types of batteries for off-grid power systems and each type can vary with storage capacity and reliability so it is a good idea to go for a brand of battery that has been researched or recommended as this will be one of the biggest costs for your electrical setup.

The biggest noticeable difference between Lithium and AGM batteries are the usable capacity and the cost.

A Lithium battery will generally cost substantially more (easily 3 times more expensive) than an AGM battery, however the difference in performance is also significant. A lithium battery will discharge around 80% to 90% of it’s overall capacity, while AGM can only use around 50% of it’s capacity before needing to be recharged. Lithium also outperforms AGM when it comes to durability and lifespan. Over-discharging a Lithium battery is likely to result in less damage to the battery compared with AGM and a good quality Lithium battery can easily last for 10 years compared to an average lifespan for AGM of around 2-3 years.

There are many different options for battery configurations and planning your battery setup starts with working out how much power you really need and what voltage you are going to be using for your main electrical needs.

Power Management and Distribution

You will need a charge controller to manage the flow of energy to and from your storage batteries. It is also important to install a good Battery Management System (BMS) to ensure you are protecting the health and lifespan of your batteries.

If you are wanting to convert the DC power from your batteries to AC power for using conventional household appliances, you will also need an inverter. If you have minimal power generating capacity it is a good idea to have your main systems such as lighting and refrigeration connected to a 12 or 24 Volt system for efficiency and then only turn your inverter on when needed. This will reduce power losses as running an inverter will use some power while turned on, even if it is not currently powering anything.

How you connect your power distribution system will depend on the legal requirements in your area and whether you need a licensed person to perform the work or inspect and sign off on it. Your electrical system should comply with the relevant local building codes and safety standards and it is important to make sure you use appropriate safety devices such as fuses and cutoff switches.

Monitoring and Maintenance

I would strongly suggest having tools and systems for monitoring and tracking your energy production, usage, and system health. At a minimum, a basic battery monitor is inexpensive and it will help you to identify when there is a problem with your system and save you from running out of hot water in the middle of a shower!

Routine inspections and maintenance should also be carried out to ensure the efficiency and longevity of your off-grid energy system. This could be as simple as visual inspections of your equipment or could involve some more in-depth testing of your system’s energy production, storage and usage.

Financial Considerations

It is an amazing feeling to know you will never have an electricity bill in the mail but an off-grid power system can be an expensive part of your setup depending on your needs.

You should consider the initial investment compared to the long-term savings and calculate the cost-effectiveness of your renewable energy system. If you have a very limited budget to start with, it might be worthwhile to start small with a system that can be added to later.

Consider how long the components are likely to last and have a financial plan to replace at least some components over time. Understanding insurance requirements and warranties of different system components will help you to prepare for when things go wrong.

Other Options

Geothermal Energy

Depending on your location, you may have the option of using geothermal systems for your heating and cooling needs. This may reduce the amount of stored electrical energy required in your home.

Natural Gas or Propane Tanks

This is not a renewable energy source, however it may be a good option to allow you to live off-grid comfortably, especially if you live in a very cold location and your main requirements are heating and cooking.

An Easy Way to Start

If you are not ready to go all-out with your electrical setup or maybe you need to save some more money before you move on to this stage of your off-grid journey, there are some handy products out there that can help you maintain a basic power setup. These are especially good when you are in the building phase and just need to charge some batteries for power tools and run a 12V refrigerator or charge your phone.

Portable Solar Setup with potable battery box/charging station

12V to 12V vehicle charger – If you are driving a conventional vehicle daily, you can charge a portable power bank from your vehicle’s alternator very easily.

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