| Author |
Off the Grid:  Americans Discover the Allure of Off-Grid Living  |
|
Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
 Posted - May 21 2007 : 07:49:17 AM
|
May 18, 2007 — By Joseph B. Frazier, Associated Press
LAKE BILLY CHINOOK, Oregon -- Before power lines, people had no choice. They used lanterns, lit fires for warmth and packed away winter ice against hot summers.
But now, a growing number of Americans are shunning power lines, choosing to live "off the grid," without commercial power -- and still enjoying their computers and large-screen televisions.
In the 250-home Oregon community of Three Rivers, everyone gets most of their power from solar panels on their rooftops or on nearby structures positioned to more efficiently capture the sun.
The solar power easily handles their lights, microwave ovens, refrigerator-freezers and other needs. Some supplement the solar power with windmill-generated energy.
"Ninety percent of the people here, if (outside) power were offered to them, they'd turn it down," said Gary Sweet, who moved to the high desert community a couple of years ago.
Off-the-grid living is edging into the American mainstream. About 180,000 homes, mostly in the West, operate on it, though the power industry has not yet felt the shift. "I can't imagine any appreciable impact on the system" in the short term, said Jim Owen of the Edison Energy Institute in Washington, D.C.
But the number of people going off the grid increases by about a third each year, said Richard Perez, who publishes Home Power magazine, dedicated to the topic, and Lori Ryker, who has written two books on the subject.
Much of the growth is in California, though off-the-grid living is also growing in Texas, New Jersey and Wisconsin.
The change is popular in the West because people are moving into remote areas beyond the reach of commercial power. Others point to environmental conscientiousness and the Westerner's traditional independent streak.
Residents in upscale, gated, Three Rivers easily could afford the $300,000 the power company said it would cost to extend its lines three miles (4.8 kilometers) or so to their property 10 years ago.
But they have decided to stay off the grid.
"With power lines come streetlights, and there go your stars at night," Sweet said. "And there are no power outages here."
Off-the-grid residents have a guaranteed power supply at a time when the emphasis on "clean" energy is on the rise. Solar energy uses no resources to speak of, emits no pollution and is immune to energy price hikes.
Still, living off the grid is not cheap.
High demand for solar panels and improved technology has kept the price up, and Three Rivers homeowners say an advanced solar energy system can cost $25,000 (euro18,496) for the panels, batteries, inverter and other equipment. The federal government and most states offer tax credits.
Savings over commercial power costs depend on the investment and durability of the system and local energy prices.
Silent and simple, with no moving parts, solar panels convert sunlight to DC energy, send it through inverters that change it to AC and store it in batteries that can supply the 110-volt needs of a home for three or four days. The panels last about 25 years, the banks of batteries about 10. If the batteries run low during cloudy periods, generators recharge them.
"We went from Feb. 11 to Sept. 15 (in 2006) and the generator never ran. All solar," Sweet said.
Residents with wells need generators for their pumps, and propane powers high-demand appliances such as stoves.
Beyond that, the sun does the job.
From 80 to 85 percent of off-the-grid homes rely on solar power because it is the most available and reliable in most areas, said resident Richard Perez. And with no moving parts, it is easier to maintain.
Many rural and urban homeowners are using partial alternative systems -- adding solar panels as a supplement while staying on the commercial power grid. If they produce more power than they use, they can sell it back to the power companies, which usually are required to buy it.
Homeowners are not alone in going off the grid.
The Los Angeles Community College District hopes to start moving its nine campuses, plus two in development, onto solar power beginning next year.
Larry Eisenberg, executive director for facilities planning, said that with credits and other incentives through private contractors, systems will cost between $900,000 (euro665,877) and $1.8 million (euro1.3 million) each and that energy savings should recover capital costs in about two years.
"Our goal is to save $9 million (euro6.6 million) a year," he said. "We want to show people this can work. We've been chatting with a lot of people. If we can do it, anyone else can do it too."
Source: Associated Press
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
|
|
|
marybeth
outstepping
146 Posts
Marybeth
Washington
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2007 : 7:20:02 PM
|
I read that also. I found it quite interesting. MB
Being outside is being |
 |
|
|
Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 4:44:37 PM
|
Wow! It would take me 20 years at my current electrical price to pay for a solar power set up. Someday when I have the money to invest I want to do it, because I think there are better savings to be had (maybe not financial ones), but right now it just isn't feasible for me.
Do any of you have a solar panel or windmill?
Elizaray |
|
|
|
Mountain Girl
outrigged
237 Posts
JoAnn
Colville
WA
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 5:09:43 PM
|
| When we first moved to Washington we rented a little log cabin on top of a ridge with a beautiful view of the mountains. It was suppose to be solar powered. Well it hadn't been used for a couple of years and the storage batteries were shot. Since the people who owned the cabin had a soap making business and relied on internet orders there was a phone line oddly enough. Because the batteries couldn't hold the charge we only got about a couple hours of electricity. Forget using anything that heated up like a toaster. So we had to crank up "Big Bertha" a very noisy generator. So I guess what I'm trying to say if you are not in a area with constant sun and good batteries (old ones go into the landfill) it could be not as good as we thing. Using electricity wisely could pay off in the long run. JoAnn |
|
|
|
Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 5:18:24 PM
|
JoAnn-
Thanks for the information. I guess I had never really thought about the storage cells ageing out. Do you happen to know how long they last before they aren't any good any more?
Elizaray |
|
|
|
Mountain Girl
outrigged
237 Posts
JoAnn
Colville
WA
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 5:33:43 PM
|
| Elizaray, No I haven't a clue on how long they last. They weren't maintained for a couple of years so that might have been a factor.JoAnn |
|
|
|
Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 9:34:56 PM
|
It is certainly something to look into before committing to a lifestyle though!
Elizaray |
|
|
|
Mountain Girl
outrigged
237 Posts
JoAnn
Colville
WA
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2007 : 07:11:15 AM
|
| You do have to know how to tinker. I think it would be easier just to use your electricity wisely. I am proud to say our electric bill for the house last month was $28.15. JoAnn |
|
|
|
Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2007 : 7:17:15 PM
|
Wow, JoAnn, that's incredible. I agree about the solar thing, esp if one can manage to use it as efficiently as you do! Nasty heavy metals involved in solar, too, right? Never a totally clean option, unless maybe you're toasting bread over homemade candles...
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
Mountain Girl
outrigged
237 Posts
JoAnn
Colville
WA
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2007 : 07:24:49 AM
|
| Well it helps that there are only two of us and we don't have or actually need air conditioning. What I loved about moving west is how it cools off in the evening. I was told after moving here that when the outside and inside temperatures are the same in the morning you close windows. In the evening when they match again you open them up. The house cools down very quickly and it's cool again.tried The second winter we were here we tried to heat only with wood. In the spring our propane company called to if we were still alive since we had used so little propane! The previous owners had a really large propane tank so the company asked if they could take it away since we didn't really need and gave us a smaller one.JoAnn |
|
|
|
Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2007 : 1:19:31 PM
|
We've done the same thing - why use propane when you can use wood? We're going to cut out a bunch of our cedars (they're fairly small, weedy trees around here), and restore pines to our little forest. This will have the added effect of controlling cedar rust, which is a fungal thing that plagues apple trees. So, we'll end up with a bunch of "sustainable" firewood for next winter as our propane tank sits dormant.
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
Mountain Girl
outrigged
237 Posts
JoAnn
Colville
WA
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2007 : 2:25:17 PM
|
| The power company came through this spring and cut down 8 dead trees(no cost too us) that might have fallen on the lines. They are nice and dry. We should have a supply of wood for some time. JoAnn |
|
|
|
Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2007 : 8:37:16 PM
|
You are so lucky! We live in an apartment that doesn't have a wood stove or fire place. We are stuck with electric heat. It's really frustrating sometimes to have our options limited like that, but unfortunatly we aren't at a place in life where we can own.
Elizaray |
|
|
|
Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Jul 03 2007 : 1:26:09 PM
|
I know what you mean, Elizaray. Right before we moved here, we rented a little house outside Ellensburg, WA, and it had electric heat (and a frustrating covered pipe hole where a woodstove used to vent!). We've almost always had woodstoves in our rentals, so we'd gotten spoiled & hardly knew what to do with ourselves (and our heating bill). Hang in there - times will change. One day, you'll look back on your life in the apartment with a sappy nostalgia. I'm always thinking, "Oh, how simple those days were..." There is an undeniable purity in being poor, but it's easier to appreciate in retrospect  . Funny thing is, we're still broke - we just have a lot more stuff (like a new chainsaw as of yesterday) & kids & organic food in the fridge to show for my hub's bigger paycheck!
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Jul 04 2007 : 7:28:24 PM
|
LOL! I like enjoying our simple life. About the only things I want right now are gadgets for the kitchen...like a kitcheaid and a food dehydrator and a good collection of canning jars. I am so glad we aren't the type of people who want to keep up with the "Jone's". We could always be striving for something that will never be realized. There is always someone else at the top- it is an unattainable goal. So why try and compete? I think true happiness if found by appreciating what you have! I am so thankful for my baby, my husband-to-be, and my dog. We could lose alot of what we have and I would still feel blessed. Of course- I like the things we do have so I don't want to just go an get rid of everything either! LOL
Elizaray |
|
|
|
Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2007 : 12:51:07 PM
|
I'd really like a dehydrator, too - and a pressure cooker so I can start canning stuff. I've heard you can sometimes get jars cheap at second hand stores, but I haven't tried yet. You are a wise woman. Stuff is mostly so irrelevant - a concept we're trying to teach our little ones (much to the frustration of grandparents who seem to be in an arms race to get the biggest plastic toy on the planet). We've simply told them not to buy a bunch of stuff like that, or if they do, it's all going to Goodwill. Mean, huh? But we always said our kids would be happy playing with a few simple things - and they are!
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
Kuiu Kate
outbound
16 Posts
Bull Frog's Garden
Headwater's Camp
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - Jul 22 2008 : 4:08:19 PM
|
I'd like a dehydrator also.
But (for me) it will have to wait until upgrades to solar and wind occur.
I just can't justify running a generator for as long as dehydration would require.
Jen I've even had folks give me boxes of canning jars for free! Just get the word out that you are looking for some and sooner or later the right ear will hear.
You can hot water bath process some foods (like tomatoes, pickles, some preserves, etc.) without a pressure canner.
Out there Farmgirl Sister
"May I live simply, so that others may simply live" ~Gandhi |
|
|
|
Off the Grid: Americans Discover the Allure of Off-Grid Living |
|
Americans Discover the Allure of Off-Grid Living
