Is An Off The Grid Solar Power System The Way To Go

"The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet. He is supported on crutches, but lacks so much support of muscle. He has a fine Geneva watch, but he fails of the skill to tell the hour by the sun."

Self Reliance – RW Emerson

Self reliance in terms of energy can take many forms. One such method is to use off the grid solar power systems to provide electricity to the home. Provided the house is adequately insulated, living off the grid solar power is effective and cheaper than paying monthly electricity charges. Given that many countries, states or municipalities offer rebates and tax incentives to install solar panels the decision gets even easier to go for a solar power system. This article will discuss some of the components that make up an off the grid solar power system and some of the reasons you might want to go down this route.

The basic system consists of solar panels. These are an array of photovoltaic cells, generally made of silicon dioxide. These cells react with direct sunlight to cause a shift of silicon electrons. Flowing electrons cause an electric current. Solar panels are generally mounted on the roof or a area on the property where it will come in contact with direct sunlight. The roof not only fits this criteria but can protect the cells from vandalism. Solar cells produce DC current however homes use AC current so an inverter that transforms the current from AC to DC is also needed. A Bank of batteries is also required. Excess electricity is used to charge the batteries that can then be used to provide power at night. A back up generator is also added or some other form of power generation like wind power is also needed in case the weather is poor for an extended period.

Obviously this is quite a set up and takes time to figure out. Batteries have to be checked. Knowing how many cells are needed is a trail and error process. If your house is already connected to the grid then you can make the move from on to off grid in a peace meal fashion. You can stay connected and joint venture with a utility company. They will install the system and any power that your solar cells generate will come off your monthly electricity bill. As you become more experienced you can shift to adding a battery bank that will store electricity. You will also be able to fine tune the number of cells or panels that you need. The next stage is to go off the grid by disconnecting from the utility company.

In many states and countries this can make sense financially but you may feel a bit vulnerable at times. Security will come with more experience. If your property is remotely located then off the grid solar power is a better option than asking a utility company to fit electricity cables.