Good Griddance

Ask Umbra on living off the grid 17

Q. Hi Umbra,

You’ve made several mentions of living off the grid in previous columns, and I was wondering where someone should find such things? It seems as though there are secret communities and communes that everyone seems to know about but me. How would you find an off the grid community, or go about living off the grid yourself?

Anica
Corvallis, Ore.

A. Dearest Anica,

No one is hiding anything from you, don’t worry. You just haven’t met any off-the-grid folks. By the way, if you do find anything that could qualify as a secret community, off the grid or no, I would bicycle fast in the other direction. Especially in Oregon or Southwest Washington.

woman in gridGrid expectations.iStockYou have two distinct questions, but of course pursuing either may result in an answer to both. Living off the grid mainly refers to finding some way to produce your own electricity and hence eschew reliance on the public electric grid. This is done firstly through reducing the need for electricity, and secondly through alternative power generation via wind, solar, or hydro. So, to go about living off the grid, I would start researching the potential for wind, solar, or hydroelectric power at my own home. If I were a renter, I would start looking for a home to buy in an area where one of these things was possible. I wrote about micro-wind and solar some time ago, and mayhap it will soon be time for this column to touch on microhydro as a home power source.

Meanwhile, let’s say you do own a home, and you want to start researching whether you can afford a solar array, or put up a wind turbine. You can start with my old columns, which could give you some basics on whether you have enough sun or space for a turbine, but then I would immediately start an internet hunt for solar interest groups or vendors in Oregon in general, and in Portland, Corvallis, and Eugene. I would also keep a sharp eye out at co-ops, natural food stores, libraries, and other places frequented by well-meaning environmentalists who like to post fliers, and I would read those very fliers, hoping for workshops about anything related to off-the-grid living.

The larger “off-the-grid” scene could include workshops on growing your own food, raising your own animals, serious energy conservation, home energy efficiency ... things like that. I would go to available workshops, or events, or festivals, and if I were feeling less shy than usual, I might even work up the nerve to talk to someone who looked friendly. If there were a solid-looking solar or wind group on the internet, I might pump myself up to give them a phone call and start getting information. If you want to meet likeminded people, workshops are a good place to start, whether or not they are directly related to your specific needs. Eventually you’ll meet enough people, and they’ll know people, and you’ll find that the secret club has let you in.

In terms of entire communities living off the grid, or at least less reliant on the grid: if the word of mouth and flier technique above does not lead you to them, then you’ll need to formally look for “intentional communities” that have an off-the-grid focus. Start with Communities Magazine and see where it takes you. Some of those Oregon intentional communities could be pretty darn fun to visit (this one has hot springs).

One crazy human wonderful thing I learned about over the winter is kind of related to off-the-grid communities: the Haul of Justice. It’s a group of bicycling volunteers who originally joined together in Eugene and now do yearly rides in various parts of the country, helping anyone who needs assistance. Thanks to my off-the-grid, intentionally communitizing best bud for the inspiring reading about these bicycling wonders, who are now in their own off-the-grid community in Missouri. See, it’s no secret cabal, it’s just human connection—I know my friend, she knows all these people ... you will soon know such people too.

Best of luck in your quest for an ungridded life.

Zingily,
Umbra

 

 

Yours is to wonder why, hers is to answer (or try). Send your green-living questions to Umbra.

Umbra Fisk is Grist Research Associate II, Hardcover and Periodicals Unit, floors 2B-4B.

Related Stories

Advertisement
Advertisement
  1. PermieWriter's avatar

    PermieWriter Posted 9:18 am
    29 Apr 2009

    I'm surprised at how much traction the off-the-grid thing has. Being off the electrical grid means you have to invest in a lot of batteries or resign yourself to not having electricity when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing. You don't get to use the grid as a battery, which means that if you produce any more juice than you can use or store, it goes to waste.Instead of going off the grid, I think it's more positive to think of how much you can give back to the systems on which we all depend. That means using electricity during off-peak hours, growing food and giving it away or trading it, being a part of your communities rather than pulling back into some sort of imagined self-sufficiency. You'll do more good in the long run.

    Permalink

  2. JoRa's avatar

    JoRa Posted 12:19 pm
    29 Apr 2009

    My husband and I are putting solar on the house and NYSERDA (New York State Energy and Research Development Authority) is paying for 45% of it because we will be on the grid.  I don't know if the tax credits are also require your panels to be tied to the grid.  We would not have been able to afford this without the incentives, and we like the idea of being able to contibute energy into the system.

    Permalink

  3. solarkismet Posted 12:52 pm
    29 Apr 2009

    You can't talk about being off-grid without referencing Home Power Magazine.

    Permalink

  4. JoyS Posted 3:40 pm
    29 Apr 2009

    On or off grid, keep track of new ways to reduce energy usage. Off grid, this means fewer $olar panels, a smaller turbine, and less battery arrays needed, as well as much lower usage of non-alternative fuels (propane stove or generator) if your alternative sources have problems. I just found that my local ACE hardware is selling LED lights for $10--these use 1.5 watts and are 40 Watt replacement lights, in "cool white" and "warm white." A year ago, roughly similar bulbs were setting me back $20 to $30 + S&H from online sites. (The equivalent wattage for compact fluorescent is 9 Watts.) I'm considering running a split system. I already have grid-interconnected solar with an inverter, and I'm going to switch in a bunch of LED lights on that. I'll also look for new, cheaper LED lights (or more expensive made-in-USA lights--so far, they've all been Made in China) suitable for a 12 Volt CD system. If I find them, I might DIY a 6th solar panel without a grid interconnect, and a small battery, and use that to stick in a few more lights where they'd be convenient, but not so easy to hook into the current wiring. (The house dates to 1900, and some of it is still knob-and-tube with dial switches. So the less current I'm drawing, the better I like it.)

    Permalink

    1. enviroperk Posted 9:07 pm
      29 Apr 2009

      I agree, the real secret  is savings by lowering energy usage. I found that something like http://www.theenergydetective.com  at about $150. really helps me figure out where the energy is going, peak usage etc.Also, if you have grid access and use a grid-tie system, you can view the grid as a FREE large battery array, and large battery arrays are very expensive and less than environmentally friendly. You are selling back to the grid excess energy you produce during the sunny days yet can pull from the grid energy needed at night or on cloudy days . If your system is sized to match your usage, it still provides the environmental effect of being "off-grid". An environmental bonus to grid-tie solar use is due to the fact that much base load power produced at night by coal burning plants is otherwise wasted.   

      Permalink

  5. Tasermons Partner Posted 4:40 pm
    29 Apr 2009

    Also be sure to contact your local Green Building Council.  Usually they'll have at least a few members who either live off-grid, or know how to go 'bout it and can provide great products, service, and advice to help people who wish to do it.Some people can also be hooked into the grid, but produce enough energy at certain times of the day that they use more than they need, and send power back into the grid.  Thus, they actually produce more energy than they use.Under law, utility companies must purchase the electricity that gets put into the grid.  Produce enough excess energy, and it can add up.  There are some people in Houston who make enough off their solar panels that they get $200-$300 a month from the utilities.  Their electric bills actually have little negative signs in front of the amount to show that the utility owes THEM money, and not the other way 'round.

    Permalink

    1. enviroperk Posted 6:46 pm
      29 Apr 2009

      Wow that is incredible given only 5 productive hours of sunshine a day on average. How big of a system do they have?

      Permalink

      1. Tasermons Partner Posted 4:35 pm
        30 Apr 2009

        Not very large at all, though they usually take up the vast majority of the roof.  But then again, their homes aren't very large either, all under 1,500 square feet, I believe (the ones I know of).  I also know of one that's entirely solar powered that's actually made outta old cargo containers.And this is in Houston.  We get WAY more than 5 hours of productive sun, even in the winter.I also know of several homes that have small wind turbines as well, and my old old office had both wind and solar power.

        Permalink

    2. sealrocker Posted 11:49 pm
      30 Apr 2009

      A moment with a calculator will show the fallacy of the $200-300/month net. The average solar array on a us roof is 2 kw. That means for every hour of full sun about 2 kilowatts is produced. Suppose Houston actually experiences more useful solar hours / day than the rest of us and gets 8 hours of production- just for arguments sake.. That would be a total of 16 kwh produced (assuming no losses due to overheating and conversion). Lets assume you pay and get paid $0.10/kwh - that is $1.60/ day payback if you do not use any electricity yourself x 30 days ( I know - the months are longer in texas too!). SO, all things considered, you would not get $50 / month back even if you figured out how to not use any kwh yourself. The average american household uses 30 kwh / day! Which means you will not be getting any checks back from your utility...

      Permalink

      1. Tasermons Partner Posted 8:18 am
        01 May 2009

        First, your assumption was that the solar arrays were of average size.  I'll admit I don't know what size they are, since I haven't asked some of them, and others (whom I did ask) I can't remember off the top of my head, but as I said, they do take up the vast majority of the roof space, so it may larger than average.  I do remeber however, that they were phv panels, and that their efficiency was on the high side.Second, I don't know what the rate is that the utility is paying them back for the energy.  I kinda wonder where you got the 10 cents for kwh figure from?  Did you just make that up, or was it based on rates in your region?Third, you also stated that the average home is 30 kwh per day.  I already said that the homes were NOT average.  They were, in fact, quite small (as I already said), and most had taken steps to improve efficiency beyond what an average home does.Third, if you would like more proof, the local stations also did news stories in which several of the owners (including the cargo container residence) reported the amounts (and showed their bills to prove it), several months ago.  I remember in particular the local ABC (channel 13), CBS (channel 11), and PBS (channel 8) stations did news reports on it.  They also reported that the container house was applying for LEED certification, but I don't know if they ever got it.However, I don't know how much all of them paid to have the panels installed (though I do know that one of them spent well over $50,000), so even though they are makin' money from it on a month-by-month basis, the total rate of return could be quite small, in terms of money spent.

        Permalink

      2. JoyS Posted 10:30 am
        01 May 2009

        Several fallacies in this calculation. 1) Productive hours. I actually live in Pittsburgh. I generally get more than 5 productive hours in the dead of winter, even when it is snowy, cloudy, or raining moderately or lightly. I have a tiny 5 panel / 0.875 kW system. From Jan 1 to 5 minutes ago on May 1, they've produced 490 kwh.  This month (ending April 20), I broke even for the month. Many days, the panels were producing for 12 hours or more, and we're only 10 days past the equinox. I expect to be ahead in May, June and July. I suspect you are talking about "hours over a particular threshold" or "hours producing at peak capacity." That's a lower number, naturally. 2) array size. I fit 5 panels on a bit of flat roof over 1 small bathroom on a low budget. Plenty of people could put on 30 panels or more, and some probably have 40 or 50. So lets re-think your calculation. If the average person has about 2 kw of production, figure that the low end is probably well-represented by older arrays or smaller arrays in the 0.5 to 1 kw range, like mine. That leaves plenty of room in the "average" for some 5 to 10 kW systems. If a system like that got the same rather weak winter performance as Pittsburgh, they'd have made 2,800 to 5,600 kwh in the last 4 months--again, that's mostly the unproductive, cloudy, short day length winter months. I expect to get double that, roughly, in the most productive 4 summer months. (That's when it is needed, when kids are home, demand for cooling is high, and I instead have the sense to open the door from the basement to the hallway, and the north window into the basement, and get cool air that way). A 5-10 kW array here might be making 5,600 to 11,200 kwh in those months. At 10 cents a kwh, that's $560 to $1120 for those 4 months. Divide by 4 to get as much as $252 a month, for total generation. Admittedly that does not include use. Which takes us to the final false assumption: 3) most people who bother to put in a huge bank of panels will first no doubt reduce their own use to a modest fraction of the national average. If I can come out ahead in summer with my measly 0.875 watt system (in an area that has more haze than TX and enough rain that I don't have to water my yard) then someone who's using a 5 or 10 kW array may very well use as little as, say, 5 or 10 percent of what they are generating. So even if the buy-back is at cost (as per your assumption) $200 a month strikes me as quite possible. Also, I believe the efficiency is higher on the inverter for a larger system (could be wrong) which would improve those numbers, relative to mine. Finally, in many areas, power companies both charge and pay a premium for "green energy." If your company does this, you might either pay (or get!) 25 cents, 50 cents or more per kWh, rather than 10 cents.

        Permalink

  6. human power Posted 10:53 pm
    29 Apr 2009

    While going off the grid, don't forget to get off the pipeline too. Electrical generation may be our number one GHG problem, but transportation is number 2, and in Oregon, transprotation is number 1.Also, when sizing your system, don't be alarmed at the prospect of cooler indoor winter temperatures. Lower room temperatures will lead to brown-fat led metabolic heat generation. All that green and a leaner body to boot.

    Permalink

  7. canuck64 Posted 12:35 am
    30 Apr 2009

    When talking off-grid, or producing power to send back into the grid, people hardly ever mention geothermal generated electricity. I know of people on the prairies, and in Ontario, who are able to sell their power back to the hydro company from geothermal heatpumps. The climate is more extreme there, and makes installing geothermal heatpumps more economically worthwhile, but in more temperate climates I believe air-to-air heat pumps are a viable alternative. What do you think?

    Permalink

    1. spaceshaper's avatar

      spaceshaper Posted 4:26 pm
      02 May 2009

      Canuck64 is confusing two very different processes here. Geothermal power generation uses extremely hot rock far below the surface to heat water to power turbines which generate electricity. It is a large-scale industrial process not available to residential users. Geothermal heat pumps, more properly called ground-source heat pumps, use the heat capacitance of much shallower strata at ambient temperatures of 50° - 60° as an energy sink to heat and cool a home. Ground-source or geothermal heat pumps do not produce electricity, they consume it. Air source heat pumps can function reasonably well at ambient atmospheric temperatures above about 35°: ground or water source systems will always be more efficient, though are usually significantly more expensive to install.

      Permalink

  8. sealrocker Posted 12:05 am
    01 May 2009

    Hi Anica, I am an "off-gridder" living about 50 miles west of you. I use passive solar home design, 1kw of solar PV, a 1kw wind turbine and a small micro hydro turbine seasonally, plus solar hot water and a big battery to keep my place going. My wife and I hand built our very small home of cob and salvaged materials and it is the most comfortable home I have lived in. Some people that live off grid are a bit secretive because some of the things they are doing are not allowed by the building/planning department... To find out more about self reliance, take a permaculture course, or go to energy fairs like the Solwest fair in July in John day. SolWest.org is the site and you will learn a lot and see a lot. Home Power magazine was mentioned by someone else and it is an excellent resource. When we speak of "off grid" most people think of the electrical grid but there are many "grids" such as petroleum, financial, water, food, wastewater, employment, etc.There are a lot of ways to make a difference. Getting off the electrical grid can be pretty expensive- if you wish to maintain the same level of convenience. It can be very cheap if you are ready to step back to a simpler lifestyle.

    Permalink

  9. anneerickson Posted 6:41 am
    01 May 2009

    If any Canadians are reading this thread, check out bullfrogpower.com to see if you can subscribe in your region. Bullfrog Power allows you to buy off-the-grid power from renewable sources through your local electricity supplier. Only cost a few cents more per kwh--no home conversions necessary!

    Permalink

  10. ourearthmusic Posted 12:44 am
    05 May 2009

    I suggest the documentary, Garbage Warrior, about sustainable architect Michael Reynolds. He has built many houses off the grid in Northen New Mexico (near Taos) over many decades. This is the movie description from Amazon.com:Garbage Warrior is a feature-length documentary film telling the epic
    story of maverick US architect Michael Reynolds and his fight to
    introduce radically sustainable housing. An extraordinary tale of
    triumph over bureaucracy, Garbage Warrior is above all an intimate
    portrait of an extraordinary individual and his dream of changing the
    world
    Reynolds believes that we need to be able to experiment with new types of housing, and this effort is hamstrung by very complex housing codes.

    Permalink

Add a Comment

You are not logged in. Thus, you cannot post a comment. If you have an account, log in. If you don't have an account, well, by all means go make one! Meet you back here in five.

Hello, Visitor!    Why not register?

Viewed
More
Commented
More
Advertisement