Off-Grid Utilities: A Good Option For Your Home?
Off-grid living has become very popular in recent years. While it can be a necessity for those living in very remote areas, people living in more urban areas have started to consider it as a way of saving money and helping to save the planet. Of course, there are practical drawbacks to going off-grid that do need to be considered. This post takes a look at some of the different off-grid utility solutions and who they are most suitable for.
Energy
The most popular off-grid utility is energy. While being hooked up to the energy grid can result in reliable power, many energy suppliers still use polluting fossil fuels and have been charging increasingly high rates. This has led to more homeowners finding ways to generate their own energy. A few popular options include:
- Solar power: By fitting solar panels to your roof, you can generate electricity from the sun. This is the most popular off-grid energy solution, but may not be suitable for homes with damaged roofs or in shady areas. If you do go for solar panels, it’s really important that you keep them clean to maximise their performance, so removal of bird droppings and other debris is imperative.
- Wind power: Adding a wind turbine to your property could be a good option if you live in a windy area. Small wind turbines can be installed on the roof of properties – these require planning permission and may not generate as much power as solar panels.
- Hydroelectric power: Got a river at the end of your garden? You could even consider a micro hydro-system.
All of these energy sources can be used to provide electric heating. There are also a few other self-sufficient heating solutions that could be worth exploring. These include:
- Geothermal: Using heat pumps installed in the ground, it’s possible to use heat from the earth to warm up your property. Heat pumps are very efficient and may add value to your property.
- Biomass: Wood pellets and other bio-matter to heat boilers and provide central heating self-sufficiently. This does require constantly buying wood material to burn.
- LPG: You can buy liquid petroleum canisters as an off-grid gas heating solution. LPG is an excellent heating source, but it’s not eco-friendly, and you’ll need to keep ordering new canisters.
Water
It’s also possible to harvest your own water instead of relying on water companies. There are two main ways to do this:
- Rainwater harvesting: It’s possible to collect rainwater in barrels and then purify it to use for household purposes. This is a good option if you live in a part of the country that receives a lot of rainfall, but could be an issue during periods of drought.
- Borehole water supply: A more reliable solution is borehole water supply, which involves drilling deep into the earth to access water. This is a good option if your home is relatively close to the water table.
These solutions could give you free access to water, however, you still need to consider your wastewater. Building a septic tank could be one solution, but only if you’ve got enough land (you don’t want to place a septic tank too close to your property or someone else’s property).
Internet
Finally, it’s worth considering off-grid internet solutions. These are usually only worth exploring if you live somewhere remote, as traditional internet infrastructure is almost always more reliable. Off-grid internet solutions include:
- Satellite internet: A popular solution is to use satellite internet. This allows you to connect to the internet via satellites, which can be reliable most of the time, except in bad weather.
- Mobile hotspots: It may also be possible to run your internet off of hotspots on a smartphone or tablet. This depends very much on local coverage. You’ll also need to choose an unlimited data plan on your devices for unrestricted internet use.
Conclusion
Going off-grid is possible for almost any homeowner. However, you do need to consider practical restrictions such as the upfront cost, planning permission, the location you live and whether you have the space. By weighing up the different options, you can pick the best-suited one for your home.
This is a collaborative post.
