The Sunday Read

Picking out the right battery system; taking the first steps to leaving the grid; and more

With this many batteries, apparently you’re getting ready to give Tesla a run for their money.

How to size your off-grid battery system properly to gain peak performance

You might be a new owner preparing to go off-grid, and one of your questions might be - should be - what is the size of battery bank system I need?

Too often, homeowners add a massive solar panel system and battery bank without realizing that too much power might be too much of a good thing.

Solarbuilder Mag offers this advice: “When a system is improperly sized, the battery bank will typically be the first point of failure. Heavily discharging a battery bank that is sized too small will overdischarge and shorten the cycle life. Oversizing the battery bank will also cause problems as the batteries must be adequately discharged and charged or “exercised” to maintain their performance.”

In a nutshell, the publication suggests prospective off-gridders perform an energy audit, figure out the size of energy storage they need, and then select the appropriate system controllers, such as inverters and so forth.

The end result? “Following these steps in the proper order will reduce the risk of system outages, costly repairs and/or replacements,” according to Solarbuilder Mag.

This is likely more chainsaw than you really need. One of Interesting Engineering’s recommendations for starting out if you’re new to living off-grid.

Ready to live the grid? Here’s some first steps toward self-sufficiency

You may not even be ready to figure out your solar system yet. Perhaps you’re just starting to think of going off-grid. InterestingEngineering has you covered.

The publication provides a beginner’s road map to leaving the grid. It looks at power sources, water collection and filtration systems, and heat options.

It’s a fairly basic guide, but not a bad starting point either. But you should always check the bylaws in your county to see what’s permitted. If you’re putting a lot of equity into your new home, you want to ensure it’s insurable, at the very least.

Off-grid, renewable energy is the way to, writes clean tech columnist with Forbes

Following the unprecedented freeze in Texas in mid-February, a lot of people blamed the problem - not on the climate crisis - but renewable energy, reports Miriam Tuerk, a contributor with Forbes who covers clean energy.

Some tried to perpetuate the idea that solar panels and windmills froze and stopped providing power. As if.

Reading the comments on a number of articles major media outlets had posted, Tuerk said, “it’s clear that many Americans still don’t trust renewable and off-grid technology.”

But in a long, persuasive piece, she argues: “Renewable energy sources, such as solar, are one of the key drivers that makes it possible to move away from one central grid. Instead of large energy sources – oil, hydro, nuclear, gas, etc. – solar is small and modular.”

Tuerk maintains off-grid is the way to go (but we all know that already, don’t we), saying: “Becoming a part of the cleantech initiative isn’t just about saving the planet – although that is obviously a crucial component. Off-grid solutions can deliver outstanding and reliable power and lighting, creating real solutions with a real impact.”

An off-grid home in Ontario.

Thoughts on being off-grid in Ontario

Finally, if you’re looking into some personal insight into the off-grid life, Mother Earth News runs a personal blog from a woman in Ontario. It doesn’t always make sense. She references 1996, and then declares electricity was only invented a short time ago.

Well, okay then.

And the author asserts: “I wanted to raise my son, Jordan (then 4 ½), away from the things of man.”

Er, good luck with that.

But the column offers some real perspectives on off-grid living as well, such as the demands of clearing the land, and showcases some lovely photos of the home she’s made for her and her son.

As she notes: “Life in the woods is hard work, but incredibly satisfying.”