I am thinking about installing solar panels on my roof and I am just wondering if it will be possible to completely get my house off the grid. I live in the state of Missouri. I am thinking to buy a house in Florida also and I want to install solar panels on that house if I ever buy it. How many KW will it take lets say for an average 3-4 BDRM?
You will need about $40,000 to $50,000 for an average house not including using it for heat or air conditioning (unless running generator a lot). To be off grid, your system will require the following: Many panels (approx. 16) large battery bank (approx 24 large golf cart type) Charge controller (Converts ac to dc and controls charge to batteries) Controller / Rectifier unit (controls power flow from/to generator, batteries, and loads) Gas /Diesel Generator (approx 10KW size) Safe building with good ventilation for generator and Batteries (extreme fire/explosion danger if not) Lots of wiring Lots of patience and great care to use minimum power, or batteries will not last long enough and running generator is much more expensive than grid power.
The average American household uses 920 KWh per month (recent DOE stat.) Off grid is a very novel idea, if it was still 1970 or you live in a part of Missouri which would require utility lines brought to you at your expense. With that said the future of the U.S. is (hopefully) moving toward what is called a 'smart grid systems and net metering'. This is where your excess electric production will be returned to you in the form of a payment generated by your 'power plant home', unless you use it all up in your 'mobile power unit', i.e. your electric car. Going off grid isn't as easy as it sounds with needing a battery back up room etc. Also, if you are serious about off grid, then your home will need to incorporate the most efficient technology and passive solar design to keep your electricity demand down. Good luck with your endeavor.
you might consider going of the grit including geothermal cooling maybe heating (we have heating) since it gets warm there sometimes (so i hear) - this will bring your electric use up again, we doubled ours to ~1400 kwh/month or better depending on the weather, cooling uses less energy with geothermal. regarding solar, keep an eye on solar pv and new developments in the near future
