7 Keys To Owning A Off Grid Solar System In 2024

7 key points on how owning your own off grid solar system for your home can be more beneficial and cost less in the long run:

1. Avoid power outages: An off grid system with battery storage means you’ll have electricity even during grid outages. This provides reliability and peace of mind.

2. Reduce electricity costs: Once your system is paid off, your electricity is essentially free since it comes from the sun. This can save $1,000s over the system’s 25+ year lifetime.

3. Design flexibility: Without needing to connect to the grid, you can customize your system and components to perfectly meet your needs.

4. Energy independence: You control your own electricity production and aren’t reliant on the utility company or grid.

5. Cost savings from not paying connection/delivery fees to the utility company. These fees can add up over time.

6. Lower maintenance costs than diesel/gas generators over the long term.

7. Eligibility for tax credits and incentives that can reduce your upfront system cost by 26% or more.

The high upfront cost of an off grid solar system can seem daunting, but the actual costs have come down and the product quality has risen greatly. Take a look at some of the great advancements at Wild Sun Solar

 

Keeping the Lights On: How Off Grid Solar Prevents Power Outages

Living off the grid with solar power provides reliability that grid-connected homes lack. While even the most reliable utility company can experience occasional outages, an off grid solar system with battery backup offers peace of mind that you’ll have electricity whenever you need it.

Power outages can happen for many reasons:

• Storms knocking down power lines
• Equipment failures at power stations
• Damage to transformers or substations
• Scheduled maintenance downtime
• Overloaded electrical grids on hot days

These disruptions can last hours or even days until utility crews complete repairs. And if you rely on electric-powered medical devices or refrigeration, these lapses can even put health and safety at risk.

Outages may be rare depending on where you live, but their impacts can be severe when they do strike. Rural areas with extensive infrastructure covering long distances tend to suffer more frequent and longer lasting blackouts than compact urban grids.

How Off Grid Solar Provides Reliability

An off grid solar system generates power independently to meet all your electricity needs. It has these key elements:

• Solar panels
• Charge Controller
• Solar Battery Bank
• Smart Power Inverter

On sunny days, the solar panels directly run your home appliances and simultaneously charge the batteries. When sunlight is limited by nighttime, clouds, or storms, the system draws stored power from the batteries instead.

The batteries act as an on-site “grid” to provide backup electricity 24/7. With sufficient battery capacity, you can go days or longer without relying on solar panel output.

Scenario	Outcome with Off Grid Solar
Sunny daytime	Solar panels power home & charge batteries
Cloudy daytime	Batteries discharge to power home
Nighttime	Batteries discharge to power home
Multi-day storm	Batteries discharge to power home
Grid power outage	No interruption with solar+battery system

By generating and storing your own energy, you don’t have to worry about external utility issues. The sun and your system keep your essential appliances running smoothly rain or shine!

Going off grid requires an investment upfront, but pays reliability dividends for decades to come. And with solar panel costs declining yearly, now is a great time to gain energy independence.

Slashing Electric Bills: How Off Grid Solar Saves You Money

Utility bills can take a big bite out of your monthly budget. But by generating your own solar electricity off grid, you can dramatically cut those costs and put the savings back in your pocket.

The average household spends nearly $2,000 annually on electric bills. At 12+ cents per kWh in most areas and rising rates nearly every year, the utility company makes a steady income from your home’s energy appetite.

And that expense doesn’t even include periodic rate hikes and surcharges the utility tacks on.

Off Grid Solar: Virtually Free Power After Payoff

An off grid solar system requires a significant upfront investment, with a complete installed cost typically between $4,000 to $16,000 depending on your location and energy usage. However, it’s an investment that pays you back for decades.

Special Note: Before You Purchase Any Solar Systems Or Components, Check With Wild Sun Solar For The Honest Truth About What You’re Getting Into

Once your off grid system is fully paid off:

• Your fuel source is free sunshine!
• No monthly electric bills to pay
• Greater independence and predictability

Let’s compare the costs over 25 years for a typical home that uses 800 kWh monthly:

Scenario	25 Year Cost
Grid Electricity	$72,000+ in electric bills Rate hikes increase cost further
Off Grid Solar	$22,000 system cost Zero fuel cost after payoff $50,000+ savings

While grid power costs will only go up over time, off grid solar locks in predictable, low cost electricity for the long haul.

Additional Savings Opportunities

You can potentially save even more by:

• Selling excess solar power back to the grid
• Qualifying for federal or state renewable energy tax credits and rebates
• Reducing your overall energy usage with efficiency upgrades
• Adding batteries later on to increase savings further

Going off grid eliminates the middleman utility company. And by directly harnessing the sun’s energy with your own system, you keep more money where it belongs – in your wallet! The investment is well worth the long-term payoff.

Customize Your Power: Design Flexibility Advantages of Off Grid Solar

One of the key benefits of installing an off grid solar system is the exceptional flexibility it provides in system design and customization. Without needing to connect to the utility grid, you can tailor components to perfectly match your electricity usage, site conditions, budget and aesthetic preferences.

Grid-tied solar systems face more limitations when it comes to customization. Factors like orientation, shading, and panel types are heavily optimized to maximize production to offset grid power purchases. Battery storage options are also more constrained by grid interconnection standards.

Off grid solar opens up new possibilities:

Size It to Your Needs

Calculate your average daily and seasonal power consumption and size your solar array to align with that usage. Adding batteries builds in reserve capacity to weather low sunlight periods. This custom sizing prevents over or under building your system.

You also have more mounting options. Ground, pole, and multiple roof planes can all host panels to meet generation goals. Tracking mounts can further boost production.

Choose Your Components

With off grid solar, you aren’t limited to specific equipment grades or supply channels. You can compare brands and models to balance upfront costs against longevity and output.

More choice also means finding components that best fit your climate conditions, like wind/snow-rated mounts or salt-air resistant enclosures.

Alternate Energy Sources

An off grid system can utilize multiple energy sources, not just solar. You can incorporate wind turbines, generators, or microhydro turbines to supplement solar output. This hybrid approach provides greater reliability and flexibility year-round.

Prioritize Aesthetics

Without visibility concerns from neighbors or permitting authorities, you can position components to minimize visual impacts. For example, panels can be ground or pole mounted away from the home instead of on the roof.

You also have creative license with enclosure and housing choices to blend with your home’s architecture and surroundings.

With off grid solar, the design flexibility and customization potential is unmatched. And innovations like flexible thin-film panels are opening up even more possibilities. The system can truly be built around your lifestyle and needs.

Power to the People: Achieving Energy Independence with Off Grid Solar

Utility companies hold a monopoly over centralized power generation and distribution in most areas. As a customer, you must buy electricity from them at whatever rates and terms they dictate. But off grid solar breaks this monopoly and provides true energy independence on your own terms.

The rising cost of grid power leaves consumers frustrated yet stuck paying the bills month after month. Even if rates seem unreasonable, what choice do we have? The utility controls the flow of electrons to our homes. This lack of options and control contradicts the self-reliant spirit that helped build our country.

Going off grid finally unplugs from this bureaucratic energy establishment. Here’s how it enables independence:

1. Generate Your Own Power

• Solar panels convert free sunshine to usable AC power
• Battery banks store surplus energy for nighttime/cloudy days
• Systems are sized to match your usage needs

By producing your own power, you don’t need the utility company at all.

2. Disconnect from the Grid

• Physically isolate your home from grid infrastructure
• Install safety disconnects and notifications
• Notify your utility company of the change

This switchover completes the transition to independence!

3. Maintain Full Control

Without the grid and utility company in the mix, you decide:

• What system equipment to install
• How much capacity you need
• When/if to expand your system
• 100% off grid or grid backup connection

You set the terms for how to power your lifestyle.

With Grid Power	With Off Grid Solar
External control over rates and policies	You control all decisions
Always beholden to utility availability and reliability	Self-reliant solution customized to your needs
Powerlessness regarding costs and billing issues	Freedom to live as you choose

Off grid solar liberates your home from dependence on monopolized infrastructure. Like America’s founders, you declare your energy independence and take back control over meeting fundamental needs on your own terms.

 

Here is a summary of some key points regarding the long-term cost savings and financial benefits of off grid solar power systems:

1. Lower/Eliminated Electric Bills: Once an off grid solar system is paid off (typically 5-10 years), the fuel source of sunlight is free. This results in little to no monthly electricity bills over the 25+ year system lifetime, saving potentially tens of thousands of dollars.
2. Avoid Paying Utility Fees: By fully disconnecting from the grid, all monthly connection, delivery, and service fees charged by utility companies can be avoided. These fees can add up to hundreds per year.
3. Cost Predictability: With no reliance on the grid, an off grid system provides long-term electricity cost predictability that is unaffected by utility rate hikes.
4. Tax Credits & Incentives: Federal and state/local tax credits and renewable energy incentives can reduce the upfront cost of an off grid system by 26% or more.
5. Higher Home Resale Value: Homes with off grid solar systems have a higher resale value compared to traditional grid-tied homes. This provides a return on investment when selling.
6. Lower Maintenance Than Generators: Over decades of operation, an off-grid solar+battery system has lower maintenance costs than fossil fuel generators.

While seemingly expensive upfront, the long-term savings and predictability of off-grid solar makes it a financially smart investment for many homeowners. Payback periods compared to grid electricity can be as little as 2-5 years.

Off Grid Solar: Lower Costs Than Generators Over Time

Many homes use diesel or gasoline backup generators to provide electricity during grid outages. But these machines come with significant long-term maintenance requirements and costs compared to solar-battery systems designed to fully power a home off-grid.

While generators can provide emergency power, relying on them as a primary power source for everyday life multiplies costs over decades. Fuel, tune-ups, repairs, and replacements make generators an expensive solution over their shorter 15-20 year lifespan.

Maintenance Requirements: Generators vs Solar

Component	Generator	Solar
Fuel	Diesel/gasoline required	Sunlight is free
Oil	Regular changes needed	No oil to change
Air Filters	Must be replaced over time	No air filters
Spark Plugs	Eventually need replacement	No spark plugs
Belts & Hoses	Wear out and must be replaced	No belts/hoses
Batteries	Need replacing every 3-5 years	Solar batteries last 10-15 years
Inverter	N/A	Solar inverter lasts 25+ years
Overall Lifespan	15-20 years	Solar panels & equipment 25+ years

While generators have more components needing regular service and replacement, solar systems are mostly self-sustaining for decades. This adds up to major cost differences long-term:

25 Year Cost Comparison

System	Hardware Costs	Fuel/Maintenance	Total Cost
Generator	$5,000	$45,000+	$50,000+
Off Grid Solar	$13,000	$5,000	$18,000

Accounting for fuel and lifetime maintenance needs, generators can cost over 66% more compared to solar over 25 years.

And with generators, you must budget for:

• Increasing diesel/gasoline costs
• Travel fees for technicians
• Costs for loaner generators during repairs
• Storage tanks & spill containment

Off-grid solar provides energy independence without the headaches and costs associated with generators long-term. The system pays for itself through years of nearly maintenance-free operation.

While generators serve a purpose for occasional backup power, off-grid solar is a smarter lifetime investment as a complete energy solution. Locking in affordable solar power for decades is the more reliable and cost-effective path for energy independence.

 

Citations: [1] https://get-green-now.com/off-grid-solar-benefits/ [2] https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/solar/off-grid-solar-system-cost/ [3] https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/solar/best-off-grid-solar-systems/ [4] https://unboundsolar.com/blog/off-grid-solar-pros-and-cons [5] https://energy5.com/the-economics-of-off-grid-solar-power-installations [6] https://sinovoltaics.com/learning-center/off-grid/off-grid-solar-system-applications/ [7] https://www.waaree.com/blog/benefits-of-off-grid-solar-system [8] https://shopsolarkits.com/blogs/learning-center/how-much-does-it-cost-to-go-off-grid-with-solar-power [9] https://www.cleanenergyreviews.info/blog/best-off-grid-solar-system [10] https://www.dlight.com/blog/benefits-of-off-grid-solar-system-infographic/ [11] https://www.architecturaldigest.com/reviews/solar/off-grid-system-cost [12] https://rimstar.org/renewnrg/off_grid_solar_power_systems.htm [13] https://www.paradisesolarenergy.com/blog/difference-between-off-grid-and-on-grid-solar-energy [14] https://www.thisoldhouse.com/solar-alternative-energy/reviews/off-grid-solar-system-cost [15] https://www.altestore.com/diy-solar-resources/what-components-do-i-need-for-an-off-grid-solar-electric-system/ [16] https://www.permaculturenews.org/2022/11/10/off-grid-living-5-benefits-of-solar-generators/ [17] https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/solar/off-grid-solar-system-cost/ [18] https://www.gogreensolar.com/pages/off-grid-solar-system-design-installation-guide [19] https://solarsme.com/pros-and-cons-of-off-grid-solar-blog/ [20] https://www.saveonenergy.com/solar-energy/what-is-off-grid-solar-system/