 |
| Image Source |
The first thing you need to do to go off the grid is to rid
yourself of dependence on electricity from your power company. The most common
way to do so is by using the sun and the wind to provide your power. Many people pair their solar and
wind energy with traditional power to create a hybrid system that will reduce
their bills. In these cases, the energy created is stored by the utility
company. If the energy you produce is greater than your consumption, 40 states
actually allow you to sell your electricity back to the utility company.
However, to go off the grid, you need to cut ties with the power company
altogether. In this case, the energy you create is stored in a system of
batteries as DC power and converted to AC power as you need it. The battery
system is typically located in a garage or shed near the power source. Wind
power is the cleanest and cheapest energy technology in the world. The average
cost per kilowatt hour for coal-burning electricity was 10.4 cents in 2006
[source: Energy Information Administration].
 |
| Image Source |
Now that you're getting your power from the sun and wind, it's time to get yourself off the city water and sewer line. The great thing about water is that it's
everywhere; it runs beneath your feet as groundwater and falls from the sky as
rain. You can tap into both of these sources in order to go off the grid.
According to the EPA, roughly
15 percent of homes in the United States get their water on their own, so
there's no reason why you can't be one of them. There are a few ways you can go
about this. One option is your own well another is to provide your own water by harvesting the rain with a cistern. A cistern is basically a
tank that holds water; but for this you want to make sure you live in an area that
gets a lot of rain.
 |
| Cistern Image Source |
The best way to get off the grid's sewer line is to install a
septic system. A septic system is basically a large metal tank that collects
and releases your wastewater. Bacteria in the tank break everything down causing it to separate
naturally into a top scum layer, bottom sludge layer and middle liquid layer.
As new wastewater flows in, the liquid in the tank flows out into a series of
buried perforated pipes that release the water over distance into a drain
field. Soil acts as a biological filter, keeping the harmful bacteria buried
beneath the ground until it's eventually absorbed as nutrients. The tank should
be emptied and serviced by a professional once a year.
If you go off the grid, you'll most likely need a few other
things in place to ensure that you stay warm, cool and have plenty of water.
Before
you follow through on all these moves, you need to think about the lifestyle
changes that come with going off the grid. Even with solar and wind power,
you'll still need to limit your use of electricity. Most people interested in
living off the grid do so at least in part to live a greener life, so
conserving power goes hand-in-hand with this decision.
Sources Include:
No comments:
Post a Comment