Should you take your home completely off-grid?

In the face of this month's electricity tariff hikes and extreme loadshedding since the beginning of the year, SA homeowners are increasingly thinking about taking their properties "off-grid" and becoming totally independent of municipal or Eskom power, water and other networks.

However, says Gerhard Kotzé, MD of the RealNet national estate agency group, this is a major decision likely to require a very large financial outlay, so it warrants, careful thought and forward planning. "And your first consideration will of course need to be your local climate, as going off-grid really only makes sense if you live somewhere with a near-constant source of renewable energy such as wind or solar.

"After that you will need to establish how much power you are actually using currently to live comfortably, with all necessary appliances and devices running, and calculate how much energy you would need to generate through solar panels, wind turbines or other renewable sources to replace that power."

Then next, he says, you should consult a renewable energy expert to find out how many panels, turbines, heat pumps, solar geysers and other equipment you would need to supply your total power requirements, and what the total cost of your off-grid installation would be.

"You will also need to include the cost of a storage battery and inverter system to store some of the energy your off-grid system generates and allow you to access it even when the sun isn't shining, or the wind isn't blowing.

"And to get the best use out of your renewable energy system, you will need to make your home as energy efficient as possible. This may involve upgrading insulation, installing energy-efficient windows and doors, and using energy-efficient appliances."

Going fully off-grid, notes Kotzé, means you will also need to ensure that you have a reliable source of clean water. This may involve drilling a borehole, installing a rainwater harvesting system or pumping water from a stream or river.

"In addition, you will have to manage your own waste and refuse in an environmentally responsible way, by installing a septic system, for example, and disposing of your own rubbish."

It is also important to realise, he says, that an off-grid system will require regular maintenance and upkeep and may also involve some lifestyle changes such as adjusting your daily routine to match the availability of energy, conserving water, and learning to live with limited resources.

"So clearly, this is not a solution for everyone. And in fact, with government plans in progress now to allow households to feed electricity back into the national grid, and pay them for doing so, homeowners may just want to delay their off-grid plans.

"They may find that a much simpler - and much less costly - storage battery and inverter system is a good place to start becoming more energy-independent, and then supplement this with solar panels and additional batteries over time."