Pros
- Lots of freedom
- Sustainable (if done well)
- Eco-friendly
Cons
- A lot of work
- High initial startup costs
Step 1. Think about it
The idea has been recently popularized by certain celebrities including Ed Begley, Jr.[3] who stars in the Living with Ed[4] television show on the Home & Garden Television (HGTV) network. Actress Daryl Hannah promotes off-grid living and constructed her home in Colorado according to those principles, as does survival expert and Dual Survival co-star Cody Lundin,[5] who lives in a self-designed, passive solar earth house in the high-desert wilderness of Northern Arizona, collecting rainwater, composting waste, and paying nothing for utilities.[6][7]
Just a list
The idea has been recently popularized by certain celebrities including Ed Begley, Jr.[3] who stars in the Living with Ed[4] television show on the Home & Garden Television (HGTV) network. Actress Daryl Hannah promotes off-grid living and constructed her home in Colorado according to those principles, as does survival expert and Dual Survival co-star Cody Lundin,[5] who lives in a self-designed, passive solar earth house in the high-desert wilderness of Northern Arizona, collecting rainwater, composting waste, and paying nothing for utilities.[6][7]
Just a list
The idea has been recently popularized by certain celebrities including Ed Begley, Jr.[3] who stars in the Living with Ed[4] television show on the Home & Garden Television (HGTV) network. Actress Daryl Hannah promotes off-grid living and constructed her home in Colorado according to those principles, as does survival expert and Dual Survival co-star Cody Lundin,[5] who lives in a self-designed, passive solar earth house in the high-desert wilderness of Northern Arizona, collecting rainwater, composting waste, and paying nothing for utilities.[6][7]
Step 2. Just do it
Electrical power can be generated on-site with renewable energy sources such as solar (particularly with photovoltaics), wind, micro hydro, geothermal; with a generator or Micro combined heat and power with adequate fuel reserves. Such a system is called a stand-alone power system or sometimes[8] referred to as a Hybrid power system. In addition, it is possible to simply eliminate electric power such as in Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonite communities.
Remote locations that are expensive to connect to main electricity grids are particularly suited for off-grid renewable energy developments, for example remote islands or tundra locations.
There is nothing quite like doing it all yourself. It’s not always easy, but it is so so so much fun. Of course, it’s never completely all by yourself since we’ve had so much help from our friends. But building something like this up from nothing, just gives an incredible feeling. I can recommend it to everybody.
Step 3. Enjoy it!
Remote locations that are expensive to connect to main electricity grids are particularly suited for off-grid renewable energy developments, for example remote islands or tundra locations.
Conclusion
Electrical power can be generated on-site with renewable energy sources such as solar (particularly with photovoltaics), wind, micro hydro, geothermal; with a generator or Micro combined heat and power with adequate fuel reserves.