Going off-grid

Say goodbye to the power companies

Perhaps the idea of being completely self-sufficient appeals to your independent nature. Or you simply want to keep your carbon footprint as small as possible.

Sometimes, going off-grid is the only option. In remote locations, it may be impractical or prohibitively expensive to connect to the grid.

An off-grid solar system involves significant investment, planning and design. It’s important that every part of the house is as energy efficient as possible, and you should consider using other fuels for high energy needs such as hot water, cooking and heating. This will help minimise seasonal fluctuations in the demand from your solar system and reduce the size of the system you need to install.

In designing your system, we consider things like your power use habits, whether you are home during the day, the difference between summer and winter sunshine hours. The price can vary widely between systems and will depend on several factors including the amount of power you need to generate and the number of batteries you need.

How off-grid solar power works

• Solar panels mounted on your roof or near your house capture energy from the sun as direct current (DC) electricity.
• The DC power is converted to AC power by an inverter or microinverters and sent to your home's switchboard to be used wherever electricity is needed.
• Solar batteries store excess energy that your solar panels produce during the day and save it to use later in the afternoon and evening.
• The inverter or microinverters send performance data over your home's electrical wiring to the communications gateway, which transmits information over the internet to your mobile app. You can then track your energy production and consumption in real time.

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