Eve Jeffery
Thinking about going off grid? ‘Do it!’, says local filmmaker David Lowe.
‘Being responsible for your own power (and water, waste, food etc) is a beautiful and life-affirming thing,’ says Lowe. ‘In terms of solar power, I’ve been living this way for over ten years.’
Lowe is just one of a growing number of people who are using the sun to power their lives by living off the grid or using grid-connected solar power.
In his case the system consists of 20 panels generating a maximum of 3.6kW.
‘That’s small by today’s standards, but it was large back in 2008 when it was installed.’
Get the right inverter
The panels work in conjunction with 24 lead-acid batteries supplying 48V, which is converted into 240V by an Australian-made inverter.
‘One key variable is the type of inverter used,’ says director of Juno Energy, Patrick Halliday. ‘It could be a string inverter, an inverter with power optimisers, or micro-inverters (which don’t require a main inverter). In the past European inverters were considered the best option. Today, we understand that in order to maximise performance, the best alternative is optimisation or micro-inverters, because they enable each panel to perform at its maximum capacity.’
A little thought goes a long way
Lowe says his is the kind of system that ‘happily powers a standard fridge, washing machine, water pump, computers, toaster, power tools, and an electric lawnmower etc – as long as you don’t turn everything on at once.’
Lowe says the key thing about living this way is that you have to work with nature. ‘You need to be aware of what the sun is doing, and modify your plans accordingly. Most days the batteries will be recharged quickly and there will be excess power. For prolonged grey periods you need to budget your power and conserve energy, or have a backup generator.’
Lowe says house batteries still have a few sustainability issues, and are expensive to replace, but the technology is evolving quickly, and solar panels are now much cheaper and more efficient than they were in the past.
Managing director of First Sun Solar Jeremy Ball says the price for good-quality solar systems is ridiculously good.
‘I’ve been doing this for 10 years now and we have gone from 20+ year paybacks to good-quality systems paying for themselves in around a year to 18 months for businesses and three to four years for residential.’
Ball says this is fantastic considering the system, once paid for, could provide free electricity for 20–30 or more years. ‘If you use finance to purchase your system you can be cash-flow positive from day one; the system purchases itself. Top-of-the-range systems have a longer payback, but mid-range systems are great quality these days.’
The bottom line? Vincent Selleck, managing director of 888 Solar Tek, says most households will do well with 6.6kW of solar with a 5kW inverter as this is generally the largest size that the network provider, Essential Energy, will allow to connect to the grid for exporting power.
An affordable system
‘Larger systems may be installed but need to limit power output once the 5kW limit is reached. To get a good-quality system with local support and good hardware, the cost range is from $5,000 to $8,000, depending on component brands and quality.
‘These systems will provide about $1,500 to $2,000 in benefit to the household depending on power use patterns and the plan from the electricity retailer.’
Currently households and small businesses across Australia that install a small-scale renewable energy system (solar, wind, or hydro) or eligible hot-water system may be able to receive a government benefit under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme* (SRES) to help with the purchase cost.
Lowe has no immediate plans to upgrade to the latest technology. ‘You don’t need the latest or most expensive tech to live well with off-grid solar. Old-fashioned liquid acid batteries are big and heavy and need to be topped up with water, but they also do the job, and are recyclable at end of life.’
The key benefit of off-grid solar, apart from no power bills, is that you become a lot more aware of what you’re using, and what the natural world is doing, and that can only be a good thing.
Visit www.energy.gov.au/rebates/renewable-power-incentives.
This article is from The Echo‘s eleventh annual sustainability supplement Sustainability 2019 – hints for living a sustainable life. Check it out for more great tips for those who would like to tread lightly on this planet.
More articles from Sustainability 2019:
Local councils taking action on the climate crisis
Local councils are on the front line of managing resources and the environment and are in a position to implement practical on-the-ground changes to protect the environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and plan for the impacts of the changing climate.
Power to the people: take the climate crisis into your own...
If you had to walk a kilometre to pump your water from a well, do you think you would be careful how many drops you used?
Been thinking about going off the grid? Here’s some firsthand advice
Thinking about going off grid? ‘Do it!’, says local filmmaker David Lowe.
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