With rising electricity prices and large upfront connection costs, choosing to go Off-Grid for your electricity is increasingly more attractive. When choosing between an Off-Grid system or paying to connect your property to the grid, looking at your systems life cycle will help to understand the total cost of each option over the long term, not just the initial upfront cost. The biggest mistake people make is purchasing a system that is too small to power their lifestyle. Going Off-Grid with the dream of never paying a power bill again can be extremely attractive. But if you can’t afford to do it properly, you’ll end up wishing you got connected to the main electricity grid.
Before you start your journey towards Off-Grid living, there are a few things to consider: DOWNLOAD our guide to explore these today.
- Firstly, find out what the cost would be to get a grid connection. As well as the initial connection cost, there is the projected cost of total power over the next 10-15 years plus an expected 5% price increase per year.
- Get an energy assessment done to find out what kind of Off-Grid system is best suited to your circumstances, expectations and budget. Get in touch with us and we’ll give you a free energy assessment, design a customised Off-Grid system and guide you through the process with our best recommendations.
- Find a good balance between value for money and quality. Buying the cheapest system on the market is a calculated risk when it comes to solar systems that are connected to the conventional grid. If your inverter fails, your solar system may not work but at least you will still have electricity in your home. WHEN YOU ARE OFF-GRID, POOR QUALITY COMPONENT FAILURES WILL LEAVE YOU WITHOUT POWER. IT IS NOT WORTH THE RISK!
- If you want the best value for money, use common business sense. The saying “You get what you pay for” is generally true! Try and future-proof your system by being realistic with your projected energy use and balancing this against your budget.
The many reasons for off-grid living
- You are building a new shed or workshop on an existing rural property
- You are looking to build a new home in an area with no grid connection.
- You are looking for the perfect green-field solution for your holiday retreat/weekender without the ongoing commitment and cost of grid connection.
- You have a small remote shed or shack that you need power for
- You are looking for sustainable living
- The cost of connecting to the grid is higher than installing an independent Off-Grid system.