Our newest website sponsor is Backwoods Solar, a company with almost 50 years of providing off-grid and solar power solutions. We reached out to the owners for some more insights to share with our readers:
Could you give a brief overview of Backwoods Solar history?
How wide of an area do you serve? Backwoods Solar started in 1976 at the home of Steve and Elizabeth Willey in Sandpoint, ID. We are still in Sandpoint nearly 50 years later. Backwoods Solar is the oldest renewable energy retailer in the US. We sell and ship to every state in the US as well as all of Canada.
Can you share an overview about your product lines and services?
We offer free custom renewable energy system designs for every customer’s specific needs. And we provide free lifetime technical support for every product we sell. We focus on solar power, micro-hydro power, and wind power. We only sell products that we use and trust. Almost every employee lives off-grid or with solar backup on their home.
What does it look like for a new homeowner to work with you for their off-grid power needs?
New homeowners (or potential homeowners) can call us or visit in person any time between 8:30am and 4:30pm Pacific time, Monday through Friday. One of our Tech Reps will discuss their power needs and desires, their site location, and their budget. Once we have all the information we need from them and have answered all their questions, we start on a system design/sales quote. The quote is usually completed within a few days and emailed to the customer, with a follow up call from the Tech Rep. Customers can call or email any time with questions or changes and we will modify the design until the customer is happy. Once an order is made we ship products via a combination of UPS and LTL Freight from our three warehouses, or drop ship directly from the manufacturer. We are available by phone/email to answer any questions throughout the homeowner’s build process, and for the life of the system.
Do most of your customers use grid tie or fully off grid systems? How should they decide what type of system to install?
Most of our customers are off-grid, but we do work with a lot of grid-tied customers as well. If there is already power at the homeowner’s property we suggest staying grid-tied, but there are numerous ways to incorporate renewable energy into that system. You can sell power back to the utility, provide a small backup system to power your home when the grid goes down, or run your home mainly off-grid with the grid used as supplemental power when needed. The best way to decide how you want to incorporate solar/wind/hydro power is to talk with one of our Tech Reps and discuss the various options available and what your desires are. We can tailor a system to your needs.
If there is not already power at your homesite, we’re big fans of going off-grid!
What special concerns do people installing solar at high latitudes need to consider, and how do you help them meet those requirements?
The biggest concern is sizing a system so that it provides sufficient power during winter months when the sun is lower in the sky and the days are short. The other big issue is snow, and how to manage it. These are not impossible hurdles though. Backwoods Solar has been in Sandpoint, ID since 1976 (over 48 degrees North) and most of our staff live off-grid.
What steps should someone buying a property with an existing solar system consider? Is it possible to get an inspection done on an existing system?
You should learn as much as possible about the system from the previous owner. If they have been living off-grid for any length of time they will be able to give you in-depth knowledge about the system. If you can’t speak with the owner, take as many photos as you can and call Backwoods Solar. We can help you determine how well the system was built and how much power it should provide. Backwoods Solar does not do site visits but if you need someone to physically inspect the system we have a large database of installers we work with and can usually recommend one or two in your area who you can contact.
What key advice would you share with someone thinking about making a change to living off-grid?
It’s not very difficult, but you do need to change your mindset about power. You will become your own power utility so you will be responsible for monitoring and maintaining your system. If you do not want to take on that responsibility then off-grid is not for you. However, if you are interested in learning about electricity and how everything works, it is very rewarding! No more power bills, no blackouts, and full energy independence!
We’re pleased to have Backwoods Solar as a sponsor, and encourage you to check them out for all your off-grid needs.
