Living Off The Grid By Harnessing The Power Of The Sun

With the world's continuing saga of economic crisis, diminishing non-renewable resources, and environmental degradation, it is but imperative to look for means to sustain life through more effective methods of acquiring energy. One such possibility is the utilization of solar/wind energy, aka off grid energy. Apart of being an essential component in the sustenance of life, solar energy refers to the light and radiant heat emitted by the sun. Forever present, that energy can be collected, converted and used to heat the water in your house as well as produce the light and all the electric power you need. Not only that, but by converting the power of the sun into energy we save a great amount of money and gradually get rid of our addiction to oil, coal and other substances that contaminate the environment. Now we live off the grid

Simply put, Living off the Grid means living in a house, or any other dwelling, that is not connected to the electricity grid. One can achieve that by simple means such as burning wood to heat and cook or by, as sophisticated as, producing one's own energy by harnessing the power of the sun and/or wind. The energy produced by the sun and/or wind can be then stored in batteries. The number of batteries is dependent on the amount of storage capacity that is needed. The more energy you consume the more batteries you will need to store the energy produced.

A number of technologies have benefited from the utilization of the solar energy and since it is one of the resources that account for most of the available flow of earth's renewable energy, solar energy technologies provide electrical generation by heat engine or photovoltaic means, space heating and cooling, potable water via distillation and disinfection, water heating, thermal energy for cooking and more. The use of solar energy has been proven extremely valuable not only for many industries, but also for use in our homes.

Living off grid is economical, practical and most of all it is the one thing most of us can do to help save the environment. Imagine how, even more, wonderful life will be if you could begin to produce your own energy.

There are different ways by which you can begin to do so: If you can afford it, you can hire a company to build for you a solar/wind System that will do the job. (Count on spending several thousands of dollars). A better, less expensive, way is to do what thousands of people from all over the globe have been doing lately...build your own. Yes, nowadays there are some excellent DIY, (Do-It-Yourself) kits that will guide you, step-by-step on how to build your own solar panels and how to build your own wind generators. And like a magic, in a matter of days, you will finally be able to actually fire your utility company and taste the sweetness of Living Off Grid.

You can learn about two of the best kits available by visiting: http://ProduceOwnEnergy.com/Review

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Living Off the Grid by Harnessing the Power of the Sun

Living On Green Energy And Off The Grid

With today's rising energy costs, and no relief in sight, many consumers are looking to live "off the grid." Even with an initial investment that can be steep, the benefits make it much more economical in the long run.

There are small and some not so small ways why off the grid living is a good alternative today. Even though the economical outlay can be steep at first, in the long run it definitely makes more sense for the environment.

Raising your own food is a good way to begin living off the grid. This way, you eat organically while being secure in the knowledge that no dangerous hormones or chemicals are being introduced into your animals.

A cow can provide milk, butter and ultimately beef and leather. Chickens can provide eggs and meat, and flavoring for soup stock. Sheep can provide wool for warmth, and lambs for food; while goats are very good milk producers. Once you have a garden set up, you should never be short of vegetables. Canning and freezing is simple and cost effective for greens all winter long.

People that choose to live off the grid usually do require transportation, but with the availability of hybrid cars; and the research towards possible ethanol fueled cars; wanting to avoid oil products is not as much of a hindrance now. The Amish have the best means of transportation with their horse and buggies. Of course, maintenance on the buggies and upkeep for the horses can be time consuming, but the benefit of no oil product consumption is a great motivator. Horses can also be used for plowing fields, entertainment and also as income if breeding is something one was interested in.

Buying clothes is becoming much more expensive these days. Children as young as five can't go to school in hand me downs or thrift store clothing because they will be teased. When living off the grid, you don't need to be stylish, and you probably have no desire to be stylish either. Spinning wool from your sheep, and knitting or weaving clothes and blankets is a great way to save money. Of course, these days, handspun wool can be a great income generator, as well as wool products, such as handknit sweaters and socks. Buying fabric from a local merchant is less expensive than buying clothes in a store, and can be just as nice as long as you know the basics of sewing. For some, sewing may be difficult, but that is an easy hurdle to overcome. There is always someone who would be willing to barter, especially if you are located near anyone else who chooses off the grid living. Sharing your talents with others make self sustainable living much more enjoyable.

Generating heat and energy is always a concern for those who choose to live off the grid. There are several choices available, but the initial investment can be steep. Once the infrastructure is setup, there is no reason to pay your power bill monthly, or to worry that you are going to freeze in the middle of the night during a storm. Having your own power supply means freedom from being at the mercy of repair crews in the middle of the night when the power line has been knocked down, and also is much safer. Power is not vital to survival, and life can be enjoyable without it.

There are two power supply options with readily available instructions online. Solar and wind energy can be very efficient, and have the benefit of being much cleaner than coal, oil or gas, and definitely much safer than nuclear power plants. There are several sources of this information available... just search "off grid living"

The Amish community is a good example of living off the grid. They have even been able to integrate into the community without sacrificing their values or their way of life. If more people were willing and able to follow their lead, our carbon footprint would be lessened, and our dependence on foreign oil would be nonexistent.

If we each made some small progress in living green, there would be more people willing to make that next step to move off the grid, and our world would be a much cleaner home for all.

About the Author:
Andrew Oke is very interested in renewable energy.He has 16 years experience living off the grid, and has completely built his own renewable energy system. Visit his website at Living Off The Grid
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Living on Green Energy