Living off grid: Homes that produce their own energy

There is a revolution going on right now when it comes to the way we define our homes. Most ecologists would agree that the current design of urban sprawl is in fact counter intuitive to preserving the environment and making the most of our natural resources. Subdivisions, by design, are a drain on the landscape and resources such as water and fossil fuels. They are not designed to integrate with nature but rather suppress the environment and dominate it for the needs of single family living.

What is interesting is the slow revelation of our impending fossil fuel crisis. By most estimates, the world will run out of crude oil in less than fifty years. This is the same oil that our cars run on and that heats most of our homes (unless you are fortunate enough to have natural gas). Supplying electricity to subdivisions is also a large endeavor that results in more strain on the natural environment around our communities. But there are also other costs that are providing a real impetus to evaluate how we build our homes and the volume of resources we use to operate them.

The Rising Cost of Utilities

If you feel like your utility costs are getting more expensive every year, you are not alone. According to the US Energy Administration “the rising cost of generation fuels, particularly natural gas, contributes to a projected increase in the residential price of electricity”.

While many home owners claim to be unconcerned about the increased cost of electricity (particularly if they use natural gas) few consumers realize that the increased cost in one utility has a profound impact on the cost of other utilities and their delivery methods. So when one increases, they all do which has a cumulative impact on resource prices.

When you add the uncertain global economic climate and a lower than average confidence in the job market in most areas of the United States, it is little wonder that homeowners and new home builders are starting to seriously consider and implement the concept of the partial or total “off-grid” home. Why pay increasing energy prices from suppliers when you can build a home that independently generates its own power for consumption at no additional charge (or retail mark up). It simply makes sense.

Planning an Off-Grid Home

The steps required to architect an off-grid home start with a change in perspective. For instance, the size of a home needs to be scaled down in order for natural resources to independently power and generate the utility needs without relying on public utilities. Depending on where you live, that means creating a design that is conducive to light to medium consumption of energy while being architecturally designed to use energy more efficiently.

Rainwater Collection and Private Wells

Two key components to keeping your home well supplied and off the public utility are to ensure that you are collecting water systematically and making the most out of the water you do collect. Rainwater collection can provide water for gardens and outdoor use but it can also be used to augment the drinking water supply and household plumbing needs. Did you know that the average 1000 square foot roof has the potential to collect 620 gallons of water in a single one inch rainfall? That is in one single rain storm. Imagine the potential of collected rainwater throughout the year and you may begin to wonder why we all are not making the effort to reclaim the water.

Off-grid homes that have water collection direct the rain water into a large holding tank (usually beneath the ground). From there the water is purified so that it can be used in the home for hygiene, cooking and of course drinking. An added benefit of collecting rainwater is that it reduces the erosion around your home by diverting the water away for storage.

Generating Solar Power

Solar power is one of the cleanest means of power production. There is an upfront investment of solar panels which can be a little costly, however once installed they begin immediately to pay for their own cost of purchase. Panels are typically installed on the roof of the home and a solar powered home can generate from 75% to 100% of its electricity needs. Excess power collected from the sun is stored in cells which are transformed into useable electricity for the home.

Wind Generation

Generating power by harnessing the wind is one of the fastest growing methods of individual home owners contributing power to the grid. They are so abundant that many cities and States have offered to purchase the excess power from individual homeowners who are able to produce a surplus, which means that wind generation can (in some municipalities) provide a small income in return. Wind generation helps the environment in two ways, by a) reducing the carbon load through alternate energy generation and b) creating surplus energy to sell back to the grid.

What will the utility companies do when the majority of home owners move eagerly into harnessing the wind, water and sun to affordably heat, cool and manage their home? While it began as an ecological movement with individuals looking for a more environmentally sustainable way of owning a home, it is now quickly becoming a necessity for financial reasons with the average family struggling under the rising costs of traditional public utilities. We think it is a positive move for the environment and for the education and continued growing awareness of the environmental impact of standard utilities. We can do better both to save ourselves money and protect the integrity of the natural resources and environment around us.