Off-grid houses are no more science fiction. People have already started making a difference moving into off-grid homes. We might be in for witnessing a revolution in the field of power. We would like to look at it in a way similar to how mobile phones took over the wired ones. Solar companies are working day in and out to provide sustainable solutions to our electricity needs.
Investors look at solar companies as a prime opportunity as they cross off all the right boxes of social impact. For many enterprises, what started as a Corporate Social Responsibility has now become a profitable business.
So are off-grid houses really a sustainable option? Let’s figure it out!
Why off-grid?
More and more people have started cutting their wires from the grid and started adopting renewable power solutions. Off-grid homes are the most promising among them. It means powering homes with renewable energy source while completely detaching from the electricity grid, also known as a stand-alone system. It not only makes sense in the economic point of view but also addresses the environmental values.
Changing the rural face of power
As renewables are becoming more affordable, the future off-grid houses could be more practical especially for the rural sector. A stand-alone system at a remote location could be a more practical and cost-effective option than extending the electricity line from the power grid. With solar companies coming up with more pragmatic energy solutions, the wait for cost-effective off-grid houses won’t be long for us.
Sharing is caring, share electricity
One of the most promising features of off-grid houses is that the excess energy could be shared. To make this happen, we need to promote investments in smart energy technologies. In the near future, we might be sharing renewable electricity generated at your house to other homes or businesses. This future smart city is soon going to be practical as the solar industry is becoming a hot topic for many investors.
Can the cities go off-grid?
Going off-grid in the city isn’t an impossible task, but involves a great deal of effort and creativity. Space constraints and cost are some of the major challenges for a city dweller. You need to have a huge capital before planning to go off-grid in the cities.
Coming to the creative side of it, you can in fact partially live off the grid in cities. Most urbanites take electricity for granted as it’s available for them in a switch-flick. The primary step to reduce grid-dependence in cities is to use less energy. Start by changing some of the habits of wasteful energy use for reduced energy bills and increase efficiency. Adopting energy efficient home solar lighting and other accessories combined with cautious energy usage is certainly going to make a difference.
The challenges
Despite all the benefits offered, it’s debatable that off-grid houses could still be a long way from hitting the mainstream due to certain challenges:
- Close proximity to the city (due to career reasons) could be a challenge
- If the house isn’t close to work, driving long distance is unsustainable and could defeat the purpose
- The initial set up cost could be high
- Might be difficult to find a bank to mortgage due to resale concerns
- Finding the appropriate land with abundant resources could be a challenge
Separating from the grid also involves the risk of losing the safety net. But with the new and advanced storing technologies like lithium-ion, the excess energy could be stored for darker hours. As off-grid living is becoming more desirable, it won’t be long until it’s available for lesser money.
Creating a smarter planet
Intelizon, on its way to becoming a world leader in energy based product innovation, is creating world-class platforms for a smart city revolution. Intelizon is a pioneer in lithium-ion based indoor and outdoor solar systems. Save up to 90% power using Intelizon’s Zonpower; the most efficient DC solar system powering lights, fans, chargers, and even some DC television sets. Zonstreet is our smart wireless streetlight plus surveillance system with inbuilt CCTV and LED running on solar power. It also features an inbuilt dimmer, lithium-ion battery and light sensor. We are setting the reliability standards globally with over 6 years of field operation.
With a straightforward mission of reliable and quality electricity for all, our products and solutions provide productivity gains for people living in rural areas worldwide.