Any type of system for renewable electricity that can utilize without depending on the utility grid is a stand-alone-off-grid system. Before you move off-grid, consider some things regarding the system first so you would be able to determine if the decision is right.

When you take that final step and set up a stand-alone off-grid system, you are firing your utility company and taking on this responsibility yourself. There will be no service truck coming out in the middle of the night if you suddenly lose power or pinpoint a problem from a power surge. You may very well find yourself respecting that money hungry utility company that you had learned to hate over the years.

You might be thinking that by setting up an off-grid system for electrical supply you can save money or lessen utility bills. This may not happen because the process of generating your own power would mean you will spend more money for the essential tools and machine. The battery, the engine generator, and the operating costs are all very expensive.

The battery usually costs thousands of dollars and will only last for about fifteen years in operation. Since the energy comes from the sun, there will be ore energy to store in a day that may overcharge the batteries if batteries are not large enough. To avoid this, you will need charge regulators for the battery. What will happen to the stored energy that has not been used? Moving to off-grid system will require you to move your schedules as well to be able to catch up with the peak times of the supply. All these considerations and expenses do not correspond to your goal of saving money.

Depending on renewable energy doesn’t always go as planned if you are counting on the sun or the wind. You will need a backup generator that runs on petroleum and is very noisy and smelly. Many times you will not have enough power to operate certain appliances because the power is not ‘on-demand’ when you need it.

Aside from the expenses and the limitations of the system, you also have to consider the maintenance and labor to be applied in going off-grid. Your independence will require you to gain knowledge about the mechanics of the system in case some problems arise. Instead of hiring someone to do the necessary maintenance for your system, you will save more if you know how to do it yourself.

Totally freeing yourself from a governing body like the utility company is not impossible to do but you have to look at your options and wonder if making this dramatic move is really in your best interest. Staying tied to your current grid and getting used to your new renewable energy system might work out better in the beginning. You would have something to fall back on while learning the ropes and getting familiar with something totally foreign to you.

The grid-tie system is enough for those who are new to using renewable energy. This is utilized by setting up an inverter that connects the utility grid to the main switch of the house. There is no battery needed and the excess energy will go back to the grid. When you are ready to move from grid-tied to off-grid system, perhaps the costs of the batteries and the whole set up is lesser by that time.