Saturday, October 24, 2009
Can you live off grid?
Short answer, "it depends". The truth? yes you can but you should practice first. If you are going to convert a existing grid home to "off grid", you better get your ducks in a row. First, look at your hydro bill.
If you are using more than 300 kWh/month, you need to make some adjustments to your lifestyle to get consumption to a manageable amount. Of course you can write a check for whatever you like, but to be realistic, you should practice. How? Every day, every minute, every light switch. You should be thinking of all the things you do every day that require power. Did you turn off that light switch? Do you run your computer 24/7? How about that long shower? On many electric utility bills, you can compare your usage to the previous year. I always try to "beat my record" every month. Of course, you can't just go out and say, "I'll beat last year this month" without a plan. Going over everything that consumes power every month to see where the holes in the bucket are, is a good way to analyze what needs to be done. In my first house in Ottawa, it was a challenge to get bellow 1000kw/month. I didn't think is was possible. Now, in a more modern house with modern appliances and a fistful of knowledge, I am able to routinely get the "bill" down below 300kW/m without any sacrifices.
Try hitting the "main breaker" for an hour every few days to see how you make out without power. Suddenly everything takes on a whole new light! (if you turn on a flashlight!)
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