Off-Grid Living

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...

Heating and cooling is important to making a home livable, but poses a unique challenge when living off-grid. Based on EIA statistics, 70% of overall American household energy usage is dedicated to heating and cooling. This means that it will be a crucial factor in the size and cost of an off-grid power system. Compared to grid power with virtually unlimited wattage available, an off-grid system has...

If you come from a highly developed area, easy connectivity can be taken for granted--as just one of the ordinary nuisances of life, with a plethora of options available. In rural areas, the situation can be very different. Consider your communication needs before going off-grid For some, a totally disconnected lifestyle might be ideal! Tired of the hectic nature of modern life, a totally "off-the-grid"...

If you are hoping to go off-grid and install a solar power system, make sure to start considering the requirements at the beginning of your property search. The property you select can play a significant impact on the system you need. Firstly, your region will have a major impact on the effectiveness of your solar system. Latitude is the single most significant factor in gaining solar power. Your...

There may be nothing more critical for survival than a good water source. In the Dark Ages (and throughout history) the most famed "impenetrable" fortresses all shared one feature in common: a abundant and secure source of water. With their own water supply combined with strong defenses and sufficient stores of food, the defenders could hold out indefinitely. We may not live in the age of castles, but...