Project Gridless: Electricity Off The Grid

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Home Inspection 101 for Renewable Energy Systems

Ensuring Your Off-Grid Energy Setup is Safe, Efficient, and Code-Compliant

Going off-grid often means embracing renewable energy systems like solar panels, battery banks, and backup generators. While these systems promise energy independence and sustainability, they also introduce complexity that many homeowners underestimate. A home inspection focused on renewable energy systems is not optional—it’s critical for safety, longevity, and performance.

In this guide, we’ll break down the essentials of inspecting solar panels, battery banks, off-grid electrical wiring, and backup generators to ensure your setup meets both safety standards and practical needs.

Why Inspections for Renewable Systems Matter

Unlike traditional homes tied to the electrical grid, off-grid homes rely entirely on self-contained systems. A minor fault in wiring or a failing battery bank can lead to power outages, fire hazards, or even system failure. Here’s why inspections matter:

Safety First: Improper wiring, overcharged batteries, or faulty inverters can cause electrical fires or battery explosions.

Efficiency & Longevity: Poorly maintained panels or corroded connections reduce energy output and lifespan.

Compliance & Insurance: Many insurance providers require renewable energy systems to meet code and safety standards.

Cost Savings: Early detection of issues prevents expensive repairs or replacements.

Key Components to Inspect

1. Solar Panels and Mounting Systems

What to Check:

Physical Condition: Inspect for cracks, chips, discoloration, or delamination.

Mounting Hardware: Ensure brackets and rails are rust-free and tightly secured. Loose mounts can lead to panel misalignment or even roof leaks.

Tilt and Orientation: Verify panels are still aligned for maximum sun exposure.

Wiring Connections: Check for exposed wires, rodent damage, and waterproof seals at junction boxes.

Common Issues Found:

Panels loosening in high winds due to improper anchoring.

Microcracks that reduce efficiency and go unnoticed until output drops.

Corrosion on metal mounts in humid or coastal environments.

2. Battery Banks

Battery banks store your solar energy for use at night or during cloudy periods. They are both the heart and most dangerous part of your renewable system.

What to Inspect:

Battery Type & Age: Lithium-ion, lead-acid, or AGM batteries all have different lifespans and maintenance needs.

Voltage and Charge Levels: Use a multimeter or monitoring system to check for consistency.

Connections: Inspect for corrosion, loose terminals, or frayed cables.

Ventilation: Ensure proper airflow to avoid heat buildup or gas accumulation (especially for lead-acid batteries).

Signs of Damage: Look for bulging, leaks, or unusual odors—these indicate failure risk.

Safety Tip: Always wear gloves and eye protection when inspecting batteries. Acid burns and electrical shocks are real risks.

3. Off-Grid Electrical Wiring

Unlike grid-tied systems, off-grid wiring often integrates inverters, charge controllers, and DC circuits, making it more complex.

Inspection Checklist:

Wire Sizing: Ensure wires are rated for the system’s amperage to prevent overheating.

Connections: Tight, corrosion-free, and properly insulated.

Grounding: Check that the system is properly grounded to prevent electrical shocks and equipment damage.

Breaker Panels and Disconnects: Confirm that disconnect switches work and are labeled clearly.

Signs of Overload: Burn marks, melted insulation, or warm wiring indicate serious problems.

4. Backup Generators

Even the best solar system needs a backup plan for extended cloudy periods or winter months. Generators can fail without regular maintenance.

Inspection Steps:

Fuel Supply: Check fuel lines for leaks and ensure the tank is full.

Oil and Coolant Levels: Low fluids can cause engine seizure.

Battery Start System: Test the starting battery and replace if weak.

Exhaust and Ventilation: Carbon monoxide buildup is a lethal hazard in enclosed spaces.

Load Test: Run the generator under load to confirm performance.

Pro Tip: Schedule generator maintenance every 6 months, especially if it’s rarely used.

Signs Your System Needs Professional Help

Your solar production is significantly lower than usual.

Batteries are draining faster than expected.

You notice a burning smell or hear crackling from the electrical system.

Backup generator won’t start or stalls under load.

If any of these issues appear, call a licensed off-grid energy inspector or certified electrician immediately.

How Often Should You Inspect Renewable Energy Systems?

Full Inspection: At least once per year.

Battery Checks: Every 3-6 months, especially in extreme temperatures.

After Severe Weather: Storms, heavy snow, or high winds warrant immediate checks.

A home inspection that includes renewable energy systems ensures your off-grid setup is safe, efficient, and ready for the long haul. Neglecting inspections can lead to costly failures, dangerous conditions, and system downtime—none of which you want when living off-grid.

Investing time in routine inspections and professional evaluations is not just about compliance; it’s about peace of mind and energy security.

How Did Las Vegas Become Solar Efficient?

By Ika

In 2017 Las Vegas decided that all facilities and buildings will 100% run on renewable energy. So Las Vegas is on its way to becoming one of the biggest cities in the US that is using solar energy in high percentage. Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps - literally.

Hotels, casinos, and all neon signs make it famous. They never turn off their lights. In addition, all the various devices, machines, and mechanisms in elevators, pools, and other architectural elements use a lot of energy. Poker tables, slot machines, big flashy screens, and lights on various stages for performers, the list goes on. On the other hand, if you want to be a frugal and energy-efficient person, you can always just play Pokemon Go on your smart device and not lose a cent. Online services are a great addition to becoming environmentally conscious. But, of course, other users want to have that brick-and-mortar face-to-face casino experience, which is why engineers and architects are always on the lookout for the most efficient energy source, one being solar.

1kw of electric energy made with solar panels on the roof in Las Vegas generates 1 570 kWh per year. The average price of a solar system in Las Vegas is 2.66$ per watt. Every solar panel user in America can claim 26% of the solar system costs as a deduction on tax liability.

Solar Panels for Las Vegas Personal and Business Buildings

Nine and a half years is the estimated time to return the investment in the solar system in Las Vegas, and it shows through utility bill savings. In Las Vegas are numerous businesses that work with solar panels. An average family home that is 2500 square feet uses about 12 815 kWh per year. It leads to the 8.17kW amount of power that the house needs. A House of this size needs 27 solar panels of 300 watts. Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) agreed with the biggest casinos in Las Vegas. Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts, and Sands Corp can stop using NV Energy. These big Las Vegas businesses use vast amounts of electric energy per year. They are looking for retrieving energy in solar or wind. Wynn Resorts already announced they would use solar arrays to use solar energy as the leading power supplier and turn to it 100% at some point.

Las Vegas – One of the Leaders in the Solar Industry

Solar power from NV energy price is about 48% of megawatt. They can store about 100 megawatts. So NV Energy is a very affordable solution for businesses in Las Vegas.

According to reports, Las Vegas is in the top 10 lists of biggest solar energy suppliers in the US. In addition, Las Vegas is in the top 10 according to annual reports made by Environment America Research and Policy Center. Las Vegas is seventh place in solar energy supply per capita and tenth place in total supply based on the entire city amount.

If you are interested in turning your home or business center into an efficient solar place, that is an intelligent step. In the long term, using solar energy is one of the smartest moves that you can make. It is suitable for the environment, and it is cost-effective.

Canadian Tire Archery Equipment / Solar Panels

Okay, so here is the thing.

Canadian Tire does sell a variety of archery equipment, but what they have available varies a lot in terms of quality and supply. Most of the time the equipment you are looking for isn't even in the store, and you can only order it online via:

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/sports-rec/hunting/archery.html

However there is a further complication.

Recently due to COVID and increased demand on Canadian Tire's online sales they sometimes suspend online sales completely, which means you have to go to the store in person just to order what you are looking for.

At which point sales staff at the help desk are somewhat annoyed that you are bothering them in the first place and are wondering "Why don't you just order it online?"

At which point you have to explain: "The Canadian Tire website says online sales are suspended due to too much demand, and it says we should go to the store."

So there you are... At the store, trying to order something from online, which should have just been available online in the first place. Or even better, it should have been available in the store in the first place.

If you've ever tried to buy certain things at Canadian Tire you may have noticed a discrepancy. Certain items that are available in the online store can never be found in the physical stores. You can ONLY order them online for delivery / pick up at the store.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/outdoor-living/solar-panels-accessories.html

Which is really annoying.

What if you have questions about installation. There is literally no staff in the store who know anything about installing solar panels.

What they really need is:

1. A display aisle dedicated just to solar panels.

2. A sales person behind a desk in the aisle who is available to answer questions regarding both solar panel and wind turbines. They can also answer questions about battery power and power inverters.

Honestly, why would any beginners wishing to install solar panels bother to go via Canadian Tire for buying the gear? The only source of help is the website. They don't even sell an installation guidebook or anything like that, beyond any documents that come with the individual parts you are buying. So you really have to do all the research yourself and there is no guidance.

Off Grid Solar and Sunlight Analysis

How to Analyze and Harness Solar Energy

Determining the benefits of solar energy requires a nuanced discussion. Solar panels, properly installed and maintained, can be a benefit in almost any region. The path buyers have to navigate shows them how to get the most out of the panels, and whether or not this method will provide enough energy in exchange for the investment.

Contrary to popular belief, solar panels do not necessarily require direct sunlight in order to capture energy. This means that the panels can still convert daylight to power, even if the sun is not directly shining on the panels all day. That said, direct sunlight is a more efficient and effective means of improving the panels’ output. Since the position of the sun varies throughout the year, homeowners may choose to install panels in a variety of places on the roof for maximum year-round exposure.

The climate and estimated maintenance of a system can also affect the solar energy yield. A region with many very hot days each year could actually decrease energy capture by as much as 30 percent. Areas of the country with consistent cloudy days may limit efficiency to 40 percent of the maximum. Panels will lose about 10 percent of their potential if they get dirty, so homeowners must prepare to keep them clean. These factors may not be significant enough to reject solar panels as an option. If people know that they will have to deal with these problems, they may want to consider more than one type of energy source for their homes.

Solar Energy for Growing Crops & Greenhouses

Growing crops successfully depends on a delicate balance of sun, necessary nutrients in the soil, and a good maintenance routine. Sun exposure is an important aspect to weigh in the purchase of property good for growing produce. Most land, especially properties that are somewhat developed with structures and mature trees, will have spots with a lot of sun and shady areas. Homeowners must understand and respect the unique plant’s needs to get the most from their investment.

When people start to select plant species, they need to know what the crop requires for sun exposure and whether or not they can guarantee it. Plants labeled “full-sun” need at least six hours of direct sun each day, although some need more. Those with a designation of “partial-shade” should have 3-6 hours of sunlight to avoid damaging them. Although some species are hardy and able to adjust to a range of exposure, not enough sun (or too much) often translates into a lower yield.

Ensuring adequate sunlight requires the ability to estimate direct sun exposure during the season in which the fruit or vegetable should be grown. It may not be enough to estimate peak summer light and assume it will work for all plants, year-round. Home buyers should also factor in their plans for trees and outbuildings to the shade of the space. For areas in which they intend to plant, people should confirm that they will get the minimum amount of sun necessary for healthy crops.

Analyzing Off Grid Properties Guide

Off Grid Wind Analysis and Wind Power Potential

Like sun or water, wind is a natural resource that many homeowners can use to increase the amount of available electricity without having to rely on the local power grid.

Similar to microhydro electric power, wind can be harnessed to run a turbine that generates electricity to power a generator. If there is a lot of wind at the height of the turbine, homeowners may be able to generate some or even all of the power they need to run the homestead. Turbines appropriate for residential use yield a power output ranging from 20-100 kilowatts.

Homesteaders must first determine if the property is suitable for a wind turbine. Experts recommend that homeowners have land of at least one acre. Buyers should confirm that the zoning of the area allows them to install and use a turbine. Wind turbines are often quite tall, simply because taller towers can gather wind at a higher speed. Regulations often specify that there must be at least 30 feet of clearance around the spinning blades of the turbine.

To get the best output, homeowners should plan to purchase a turbine that stands at least twice as high as the tallest nearby object. If there are existing wind energy systems in the area, people may be able to get data about common wind speeds at the proper height. Most systems need regular speeds of at least 9 miles per hour. Greater speeds can improve energy output.

Potential Soil Erosion

While wind is a resource to homesteaders in many ways, it can also pose a threat to soil and vegetation. Soil erosion is a natural part of the life cycle for almost any property. However, people who rely on a particular patch of land to grow crops or plants to support livestock need to understand how erosion could affect the property’s sustainability.

Areas with strong winds can shift the nutrient-rich topsoil that homeowners need to grow plants. Overgrazing or clearing land could make this problem worse. To prevent erosion, people should plan to keep at least 30 percent of the land occupied with ground cover. Professional farmers suggest tilling plant remains into the soil when homeowners are done with the crops for that season. This helps to preserve necessary moisture, which can make it harder for the wind to move the top layers.

One way to prevent this erosion however is to build greenhouses.

Analyzing Off Grid Properties Guide

Toronto Solar Panel Companies, Part Two - DIY

Last month I asked the question of whether I could find a solar panel company in Toronto that does installations to provide quotes for a 600 kWh per month solar system plus a battery system so that a home can be completely off grid.

Most of the companies I contacted didn't even deign to respond. The 1 company that did respond refused to provide a quote unless they were allowed to invade my privacy.

See Toronto Solar Panel Companies, Part One.

This month I am still looking for the Holy Grail - a 600 kWh per month system, but I am looking at solar panels that can be purchased through Canadian Tire and then the homeowner installs the panels themselves.

Canadian Tire is a good example, because there are quite a few locations in Toronto, plus they are a nationwide company so the prices in Toronto should be same prices you see all across Canada.

But I won't just be looking at Canadian Tire. Home Depot is also in the solar panel DIY business. So we will also be comparing prices for solar panels (and their battery systems) for both Canadian Tire and Home Depot.

Lastly, the size and efficiency of the solar panels is also a factor. If a solar panel is smaller, but provides more energy in its smaller size, then it is more efficient. So we want to be comparing how much energy the solar panels provide based upon their size and their price. Power per square foot and price per square foot... all with the goal of reaching that 600 kWh per month system

Why is 600 kWh per month so important? It is the number needed for an average 2 or 3 bedroom home to go off grid - to be completely off the grid. (The bonus of which is you pay less land taxes for your property.)

For reference, 1 kWh is equal to 1000 watts sustained for 1 hour. So a 600 kWh per month system need to provide 20 kWh per day on average, or the equivalent in watts. Clearly 20,000 watts in 1 hour is not going to happen, but 2,000 watts over the space of 10 hours is certainly doable.

The Canadian Tire Vs Home Depot Solar Panels Challenge!

Coleman 100W Crystalline Solar Panel, 2-pack for $1,059.98
Dimensions: 40 x 26 x 1.3", x2
Available at Canadian Tire

Together this two pack of solar panels provides up to 200 watts of power.

Dimensions wise is 7.34 square feet for 1 panel, so two panels is 14.68 sq feet. However 7.34 sq feet per 100 watts is a good measurement of its efficiency.

So the price of 10 of these (20 panels total) would be $10,599,80, and would take up 146.8 square feet of space, and would provide a maximum of 2000 watts over a 10 hour period of daylight.

Note - You don't have to buy 2 packs of this solar panel. Single units are $529.99.

Grape Solar 400-Watt Off-Grid Solar Panel Kit for $2,768.85
Dimensions: 88 x 48 x 2" (total dimension of 4 panels)
Available at Home Depot

Designed for RVs and boats this kit includes 4 solar panels providing a 400 watt system, including a 30 Amp digital charge controller, 2,000-watt inverter with two outlets and 1 USB port, cables and manual. Great if it is just for a RV, not so good if you want to buy multiples of this for your home.

Dimensions wise it is 29.33 square feet total for the 4 panels. It is 7.33 sq feet per 100 watts, so almost exactly the same as the Coleman panels.

The price of 5 of these (20 panels total) would be $13,844.25, they would take up 146.66 square feet of space, and would provide a maximum of 2000 watts over a 10 hour period of daylight.

So definitely more expensive. But do you really need 5 copies of the owner's manual, cables, power inverter and the charge controller? A single kit for a RV might be good, but for a home this is silly.

Now perhaps it was silly of me to choose a kit to be the example, but it was the most expensive solar panels on the Home Depot website so I just went with the flow.

Coleman Multi-Purpose 150 Watt - 12 V Crystalline Solar Panel for $599.99
At the moment I am writing this it is on sale for $299.99.
Dimensions - 59 x 26 x 1.3"
Available at Canadian Tire

The sale price really caught my attention here. Any time you see solar panels on sale, especially half price, that is a good time to crunch the numbers for cost and efficiency.

This solar panel offers 150 watts and is only 19 inches bigger than the 40 x 26 model also made by Coleman.

Dimensions wise is 10.65 square feet for 1 panel. That is 7.1 sq feet per 100 watts, so it is slightly more efficient than both the smaller Coleman panel and its Grape Solar rival.

The price of 14 of these solar panels would be $8,399.86, they would take up 144.9 square feet of space, and would provide a maximum of 2100 watts over a 10 hour period of daylight.

So that is actually a big step up compared to the other options. You save money and it provides an extra 100 watts of power due to the fact that 150 cannot be evenly divided into 2000. So rather than do 1950W I decided to go above and beyond to 2100W.

And now for the kicker, because those solar panels are on sale (again, at the time I am writing this) they are only $299.99.

So do the math... 14 x $299.99 is $4,199.86.

So that is an amazing price, they take up less square feet of space, and they provide 5% more maximum power. Clearly the lesson today is to buy solar panels when they are on sale.

Nothing else on the Canadian Tire or Home Depot websites are going to compete with the amazing deal people can get when they buy solar panels on sale... so lets move on to the next issues.

Charge Controllers / Battery Power

Coleman 30A 12V Solar Panel Charge Controller for $129.99
Well that seems reasonably priced.

But can it handle the charge of 14 solar panels all at once?

"Handles up to 30 Amps of current and 450 Watts of solar power"

Well, no. But 5 of them could handle 2,250 watts. So you could get 15 of the 150 watt panels, 5 charge controllers, and that would do it. But is it practical to use 5 different charge controllers? No. Not really. They really should sell a single unit that does all of it.

Then you just need to be able to store all that electricity.

Unfortunately there is a problem. Canadian Tire doesn't currently sell battery systems. The solar panels are really meant for RVs, boats, cabins, etc so people can charge their electronic gadgets easily. They aren't meant for someone to do a DIY solar panel off grid home. It probably hasn't occurred to them that they could also be selling battery systems for that purpose.

However...

Home Depot does sell certain items that Canadian Tire does not.

Nature Power 3000-Watt Inverter with 150-Amp Inverter Charger for $2,400.93.
Nature Power 2000-Watt Inverter with 55-Amp Inverter Charger for $822.97.
Nature Power 2000-Watt Inverter for $627.00

So it really depends on how many watts and amps you need. More amps means you can use heavier appliances like power tools, large electronics, home appliances and air conditioners.

So it is a bit like asking "Do you want air conditioning with that?"

Yes, I like air conditioning.

So the 3,000W system works. Better to have extra just in case, and better to have the extra amps for a variety of uses.

With that much wattage you could get 20 of those 150W solar panels and just have an abundance of solar power.

But again, still the problem of battery storage.

Alas we run into the same problem. Home Depot only sells smaller portable battery storage. The kind of thing you stick in your RV, boat, etc. Nothing larger meant for a home. They do sell a "RV Kit" that includes a mid-size battery storage that is roughly the size of an air conditioner, but it doesn't have the capacity for a whole house.

So neither Canadian Tire or the Home Depot can handle battery storage. Not at least in terms of a "specially made for this" way.

Rather they sell car batteries. So basically what you are expected to do is buy a bunch of car batteries, connect them to the power inverter and store your power that way. There are alternatives out there. eg. East Penn Canada sells batteries for home storage.

The Home Depot website does mention several types of batteries in the description of the power inverter...

"will charge different type of batteries from Get, Flooded, AGM, and Fixed."

So for example AGM is not a company brand, it just stands for "Absorbed Glass Mat", which refers to the design structure of the battery.

AGM Batteries compared to Flooded Batteries

"Higher tolerance against damage from deep discharge. (Optimized amounts of electrolyte (which is also referred to as “acid-starved”) allows the battery to use the power in the acid before the power in the plates. This minimizes the destructive nature of ultra-deep discharges. Ultra-deep discharging is what causes plate shedding, which can destroy a battery).
Longer service life with superior cycling capability.
Superior performance in high current, high power applications, and in extremely cold environments.
Superior vibration resistance.
Superior protection against plate damage from extended power draws.
Lower internal resistance for quicker power flows and faster recharge rates.
Slower self-discharge rates for better off-season storage.
Safer operation from spill-proof, leak-proof design which protects people and equipment, and enables installation in virtually any position (upside down installation is not recommended).
Maintenance free, never-add-water design."

Source: http://www.eastpenncanada.com/agm.html

AGM batteries are often used in car batteries because they last longer since they are charged and recharged so frequently.

There is also Gel batteries, but they decline faster in colder temperatures and thus may not be well suited for off grid purposes.

Yada yada yada. I think I am done for today.

I am going to research battery storage again another day.

Part Three? To be continued...

Want to keep reading and learn more? Subscribe to Project Gridless for future updates.

Toronto Solar Power Companies, Part One

If someone living in Toronto (or the GTA) wanted to go off the grid with their home, how much electricity would they need to be producing, and how much would that cost to produce that much electricity using solar power?

That is the question today. (July 5th.)

And for simplicity's sake we shall use a 3-bedroom home with 2000 square feet as an example (pretty much the most average home you can buy in Canada) when asking companies for quotes, which typically would be using about 600 kWh per month. Some people obviously use more than that, some a lot less. I found one website where a person said they used to use 700 kWh per month but have since cut their usage down to 180 kWh per month. Clearly there are two ends to the spectrum with the average in the middle.

So I sent the following message to various websites asking for quotes:

"Hello!

I am looking for quotes for what it would cost to install solar panels and a battery system on our property to produce 600 kWh per month.

We would like to be completely off the grid.

We are also interested in learning more about solar thermal too."

The problem with such websites is that they are actually selling leads to other people. I submit to one website, I will probably get 5 or more quotes from different companies - and they are paying for the potential lead. The people contacting me are salespeople... they just want to make a sale.

They don't know I am only researching this to determine what companies are out there, and what prices they are offering for their respective systems.

Thus I submitted the above text to 5 websites. If I only get 25 quotes or less that will be more than enough for my purposes.

July 20th Update - During the last 15 days I got only 1 company to respond. So much for my guess of 25 quotes. I got 1 and they refused to even provide a quote.

THE RESULTS

#1. "Please send us your phone number."

The first company to respond asked for my phone number. I don't give out my phone number online, except to friends and clients. Why? Because then people start phoning me while I am teaching an archery lesson. My clients are typically paying $0.66 to $1 per minute for my archery lessons (because I am really good at teaching and really expensive to hire). So even a short phone call means I have to extend the lesson so the client gets their full monies worth... plus it interrupts the flow of the lesson and the learning process, so I really prefer to keep my phone number private.

eg. I usually only answer calls from my wife or my mother while I am teaching, and only because it might be an emergency.

I strictly only want quotes via email.

The companies to respond so far by asking for my phone number were, in order of responding:

New Dawn Energy Solutions

Update - And that is the only company to have responded thus far. It has been 15 days, 1 response.

#2. Negotiable Prices plus Haggling

I notice that a lot of these companies don't like to list their prices on their websites. Is this because the prices are negotiable? In which case, can a person simply lowball their quotes and offer a different amount for the job to be completed?

Clearly if the prices are negotiable, then it means that the initial price they offer is intended to gouge the customer for their money by overcharging them. So a smart customer should then demand a lower rate for the same products and service, because clearly there is some haggling involved.

And haggling inherently means that if you push them on the issue, they will eventually offer you a better price. Makes me want to just email them with the following line:

"I see you don't list prices on your website, which means prices are negotiable and people are expected to haggle. So lets haggle."

Maybe then they might rethink their business strategy and then list the prices on their website.

#3. "Please provide your address."

Hi Charles,

We would at least need your address to provide a quote. Kindly let us know your address. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Prasanna Yoganathan, E.I.T
Project Coordinator
416-855-9377 Ext:. 216
www.NewDawn-ES.Com

Hello!

What difference would my address make? I live in Leaside. Would it make a difference to the price if I lived in Rosedale or Beaches? Do you quote different prices based on the neighbourhood?

I just want a quote for a solar system that produces 600 kWh per month that includes a battery system. Is that not sufficient enough to give me a quote?

If you cannot provide a quote for such a system I will take my business elsewhere.

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat

And no response after that. Clearly I was not being cooperative, however to be fair I am asking a simple question and my address in Toronto really should not matter at all.

Conclusions

Don't bother contacting solar companies through 3rd party websites that promise to forward your inquiry to multiple solar companies, because frankly only 1 company has thus far responded and I contacted them 15 days ago

Now is this because I refused to provide my phone number and my address in Toronto? I think it is deeply connected. I also think these companies are basically stalkers looking to make a sale, and they have no respect for privacy.

I left negative reviews for "New Dawn Energy Solutions" on both Google and Yelp. Maybe when they notice the reviews they might actually provide a quote, but even if they did I would recommend people to NOT hire that company because any company that refuses to give a quote because they really want your phone number and address is a company so focused on sales that they have forgotten the saying "The customer is always right." and what should be a new saying "Respect the customer's privacy."

Clearly the price of installing solar panels isn't the only hurdle. It is their horrible customer service.

But is that just 1 company?

Well nobody else responded. Say what you want about New Dawn Energy Solutions, at least they responded - and later snubbed me when I refused to provide an address.

Last Saturday I was talking to someone at the Toronto Archery Range and they mentioned how these companies can now use Google to input your address into a map search, they can then calculate the size of your roof and provide an estimate of how many solar panels can be put on your roof, and how much energy that will provide, and how much it will cost.

While that it is handy, the home in my situation hasn't been built or purchased yet. I want to know the cost of installing what I want, BEFORE I go out and buy the house. This way I know how big the roof needs to be.

But the companies are so focused on using their little map gadget they are ignoring a simple enough question.

A roof can always be extended or lengthened to add more room for solar panels. If someone really wants the extra solar power, they can just make the roof wider.

This whole ordeal makes me more interested in wind turbines - which dollar for dollar provide more electricity than solar power does. And likewise hydro power - which is trickier to do because you need a stream or river on the property, and you are probably not legally allowed to dam it and would need to use other methods of gaining hydro power from it without a dam, but hydro power provides way more energy than either wind or solar, and thus it is worth investigating.

Solar is still an option, but finding a company that can provide a quote may be a challenge.

I may have to just phone companies and point blank ask them for quotes (and refuse to give details about where I live). "The property hasn't been built yet." Whatever.

I still want answers.

To be continued...?

Get ready for higher electricity prices as Doug Ford prepares to sell Ontario Hydro

I don't usually talk about politics, but this bit really effects people who want to off grid and use solar power.

Hey Ontario, are you upset about your hydro bill?

Just wait.

Doug Ford is going to sell Ontario Hydro (and Ontario's stake in Toronto Hydro, Hydro One and other companies).

15 years ago Mike Harris left Ontario with a fiscal mess and had sold off major chunks of Ontario's electricity grid, namely by privatizing the sale and distribution of electricity - which only led to higher electricity rates.

That sell off combined with the murder of Dudley George and the Walkerton E-coli Massacre, led to Mike Harris's unpopularity and 15 years of the Liberal Party trying to fix his mess.

Unfortunately, they couldn't backpedal on the sale of parts of the electricity grid. That mess is here to stay.

So along comes Doug Ford and guess what he wants to do? Sell off and privatize Ontario Hydro - sell everything. Let the people of Ontario fend for themselves when higher electricity rates become the norm as electricity companies (mostly foreign investors) swoop in and buy the companies, and then resell the electricity to the people of Ontario at a higher rate.

So when is this coming?

Doug Ford has on numerous ocassions talked about how "great" it would be if Ontario sold off Ontario Hydro. He thinks it would result in cheaper rates for customers. Ha, what a lie that is.

He has not set a timeline however for when he intends to sell off Ontario Hydro and its related components.

What he is doing however is:

Ending the cap and trade policy for companies, putting a lot of companies in legal limbo after purchasing billions of dollars of cap and trade from other sources. Their cap and trades are now basically worthless.
Scrapping the GreenON rebates program for solar panels, which gave people a rebate if they bought solar panels, installed energy efficient windows, and other renovations for improving energy efficiency of their homes.
Scrapping parts of the Climate Change Action Plan which targeted greenhouse gas emissions, and by scrapping we mean completely gone with no plan to replace them. Basically it gives big corporations free reign to pollute the air as much as they want.

So this is things he has already done in the first weeks of being in power. And for the off grid community (and people who want to go off grid) the 2nd one which I highlighted in red is actually really important, because that is the one which effects people who want to go off grid. Those rebates for installing solar panels made them more affordable and allowed homeowners a degree of flexibility when it comes to choosing a larger solar panel system for their home.

The rebates were so important that they lowered the cost of solar power in Ontario, such that manufacturers could focus more on mass production - which created jobs in Ontario's solar industry for both manufacturing, for sales, and for installation.

With the rebates gone, that is going to hurt jobs in Ontario's solar industry and it is going to raise prices.

Coupled with selling off Ontario Hydro and rising electricity prices, the people of Ontario are going to be looking for alternatives.

The obvious alternative is to go off grid and produce your own electricity. But without the rebates, that option just got more expensive.

Thus people wanting to go off grid in Ontario now have to weigh more affordable options like:

Wind turbines
Hydro power
Wave power
Gasoline / Propane Generators

And those options don't work for many homes.

Some locations are not windy enough - or are in a town or city which has bylaws prohibiting wind turbines in residential neighbourhoods.
Hydro power requires the property to have access to moving water, such as a river or stream on their property.
Wave power requires their property to be on the shore of a lake.
Gasoline and propane generators can be noisy, which disturbs neighbours, and thus are likewise not allowed in urban or suburban areas.

Thus solar, quiet and nigh invisible solar, becomes the one option that homeowners can put almost anywhere that they have access to peak sunlight.

So cutting the rebates for solar ahead of a strategy for selling off Ontario Hydro, well that is just going to put Ontario in a position to be taken advantage of by whomever ends up buying the electricity grid.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charles Moffat was, at one point, a door to door salesman for Direct Energy, a company which sold electricity and gas to homeowners. A job he loathed and later quit. He has since set himself a goal of someday going off the grid completely. Eventually.

Tesla Solar Roof Tiles

DISCLAIMER - Tesla has not paid me any money to mention or discuss (or criticize) their products. I just happen to like what they are making, although I do not like everything as you will notice if you continue reading.

So one of the innovations coming out of Tesla (not just an electric car automaker) is their new solar panels which feature textures and different colours, so that they look like regular roof tiles.

This way the whole roof of a house can be one giant interconnected solar panel (or solar roof as Tesla likes to call it). So for example the image below shows a home with a Tesla Solar Roof, not just on the main structure, but also over the garage on the right side and the solarium on the left side too.

To me this is a big innovation, because it means that solar panels don't have to be ugly things you stick on the roof of your home. They can simply BE the roof. The whole roof, and neighbours will never know you have solar panels unless they recognize your roof as being a Tesla product.

I especially like the textured and slate versions. Those do look pretty nice.

Tesla also has video on their site at https://www.tesla.com/en_CA/solarroof which shows the durability of the roof tiles, showing traditional roof tiles breaking under a 5 cm hailstone is traveling 160 km/h on impact, whereas the Tesla roof tile doesn't break. So that is a nice bonus.

What is Tesla's Goal?

Tesla got into the whole solar panel market because of their electric cars needing to be recharged. They realized that if they were going to be selling electric cars that had to be recharged, they needed to devise a battery system at people's homes where they could fill up the battery with solar power and then transfer that electricity to the electric car's battery system.

Thus the end goal is to make homes that are off grid, but also fuel the electric car at the same time.

So how expensive is the Tesla Solar Roof?

Well that is a very good question.

On Tesla's website you can pay $1330 CDN (refundable) to reserve your position to buy and install a solar roof on your home. Basically you are in a line of waiting customers, and you have to pay just to be in the lineup. They don't actually mention how much it costs, likely because it varies on the size of your roof.

But it would be nice if they listed the price of a 1 meter by 1 meter tile. Or a cost per square foot. Something like that.

So for example if the cost per square foot was $100, and your roof was 30 by 80 feet (2400 square feet) then you would know the cost was going to be $240,000.

It probably is not that super expensive however. $100 per square foot seems like a rather large amount to be paying.

Still it would be nice to know if the cost was in the $30,000 to $60,000 range, or if it was more in the $80,000 to $120,000 range. Or more.

Conclusions

I like the look of the product, but if they want to win customers over they really should be mentioning the price so that people can compare to other solar manufacturers and to wind turbines, hydro-power, etc.

But this is something I have noticed about solar companies. A lot of them don't like to list their prices online, which in my opinion deters people from wanting to buy from them in the first place.

If they want to eventually start selling their products to a mass market audience, they really need to start listing their prices in a manner so that customers can compare prices and consider their options.

Tesla is not the only company selling solar roof tiles or "solar shingles" or photovoltaic shingles. Whatever you want to call them, they have been on the market for years. Five of the biggest companies that make them are:

Atlantis Energy Systems
CertainTeed
RGS Energy
SolarCity
SunTegra Solar Roof Systems

Tesla is basically the car and solar equivalent of an iPhone. They make things which are desirable, but overpriced when you consider that other companies make equivalent products for less cost but without the sexy name on the product.

Do I like what Tesla is doing by making solar power sexy? Yes.

But I also think they need to be more honest and open about their prices. The lack of transparency scares away skittish customers.

Ontario's Wind Power Vs the Duck Curve

Back in February I wrote a post about Ontario's Duck Curve: Solar Power Vs Ontario's Electrical Grid: The Duck Curve.

The Duck Curve is a chart of Ontario's average daily usage of electricity and the supply of electricity, which increasingly has taken on the shape of a duck.

The Duck Curve is caused by the effect of increasing solar production and it creating an abundance of supply during peak sunny times of the day, but zero supply during the rest of the day.

It also doesn't help that demand for electricity is actually growing, which means increased demand during evening and morning hours, especially the 7 PM to 10 PM period when there is zero of solar power coming in to the grid.

To prevent brown outs nuclear power plants need to be running at higher capacity ahead of time to create a surplus of electricity so that we don't have brown outs. This creates inefficiency and wasted electricity during that transition time period.

So what does this have to do with wind power and wind turbines?

Increasing wind turbine electricity production does quite a bit to offset the impacts of solar power.

#1. Wind is More Reliable than Solar - Wind power doesn't rely on the sun and is active 24 hours per day, as long as there is wind, which is pretty much all the time because Ontario is a very windy province.

#2. Lake Effect Wind - It is slightly windier during mornings and evenings near lakes due to changes in temperature and the flow of wind towards and away from lakes during those time periods. The larger the lake, the more profound the effect.

#3. Ontario has quite a few "Great Lakes" that benefit from the Lake Effect Wind. Probably one of the reasons why Ontario is so windy in the first place.

Below is a map of where wind turbines are built in Southern Ontario. As you can see, the lakeshore of Lake Huron has a lot of wind turbines built there for the purpose of benefiting from the Lake Effect Wind coming off Lake Huron.

So is Wind Power a solution to the Duck Curve?

No, not completely.

Yes, it helps to create a surplus of renewable energy.

Yes, it also helps that wind power is slightly stronger during morning and evening changes in temperatures thanks to Lake Effect Wind.

But the amount of electricity being produced at present merely offsets the solar power Duck Curve. The impact is less at present, which means Ontario is reliant upon nuclear power to pick up the slack.

What about Hydro Power?

Ontario also produces a lot of hydro-electric power thanks to our many rivers, lakes and dams. So much so that we call the government run electricity producer "Ontario Hydro", and refer to "hydro poles", "hydro bills", etc.

Well, the truth is that it is possible to offset the Duck Curve using hydro power, by simply shutting down dam turbines and not allowing so much water to flow through them during the middle of the day. Unfortunately, not all dams are equipped with shut off valves as some of them just run on a constant level, with no shut off system available.

If they did, this would allow nuclear power plants to run more at a constant level (which improves cost efficiency). Unfortunately since a shut off system isn't available for many dams (and would require a sizable investment to do), this is seen as a wasteful option as hydro power is basically "free electricity" once the dam has been built. Adding shut off valves would just reduce the amount of free electricity Ontario actually has.

What about Geothermal Power?

Ontario at present has zero geothermal power plants. None. Nada. Not in all of Canada.

Despite being able to produce as much electricity as coal, gas or nuclear, not one single province has taken the bold and decisive step of building a geothermal power plant. (Or refurbishing an old coal or gas plant into a geothermal plant, seeing as they all use the same steam turbines.)

So what does Ontario do with the energy surplus?

Well, it doesn't go completely to waste. We sell it at a discount to Quebec, Manitoba and to the USA. Because of the discount we lose money in the process, but it is still better than sitting on an energy surplus that isn't being used at all.

What we really need is more ways to store electricity efficiency. eg. Like storing electricity inside ionized gas as "ball lightning", a sort of ionized gas battery.

So what about people who live Off the Grid?

Well, hopefully we are using a nice battery system and we are not paying gigantic hydro bills like everyone else. We store our solar, wind (and sometimes even hydro) power in batteries that provide electricity for our off grid homes.

And then we laugh about all the money we are saving while the hosers are paying off "old hydro debts" that were caused by the Ontario government overspending on nuclear.

Cheap Hydro Electricity for Off Gridders

So you have a stream or river going through your property - or possibly waves on the shore of a lakefront property. How do you turn that untapped hydro energy into electricity for your off grid home?

You could build...

An undershot waterwheel.
An overshot waterwheel.
A hydro turbine.
A kinetic energy turbine.

Or you could buy a mini turbine like the one in the following video.

"Blue Freedom" as a company offers a variety of different turbines, including kinetic energy turbines suitable for lakefront waves, so that it creates energy when waves comes in to the shoreline, and again when waves go back out. The constant motion creates electricity, and it only needs the water to be 0.5 meters deep to be fully effective.

The portable version in the video above may be good for charging cellphones/etc, but if you are looking to provide electricity to your Off Grid Home then you would need to buy like 10 or more in order to supply all your needs. So if they are $340 each, you are looking at $3,400 to provide enough electricity for your home.

But is that really cost effective or efficient? Certainly there are cheaper ways to DIY?

On the right is a water turbine generator that you can buy on Amazon.ca for a mere $14.29.

You dam up the river or stream and allow water to flow through pipes attached to the generator.

The generator then produces electricity, and all of the water gets used for energy production.

To preserve small wildlife (minnows, frogs, etc) from going through the pipes and clogging up the turbine you can add grates to the intake pipe so that tadpoles and other small critters cannot get sucked in.

Worried about larger fish that need to be able to travel over the dam?

Just create something akin to a salmon fish ladder or a ramp that allows some of the water to freeflow while 50 to 75% of the flowing water is still used to create electricity.

Don't want to impact the wildlife that much, but still want to save money while being somewhat lazy?

Well there is a cheaper alternative to the Blue Freedom model shown in the video.

$6 CDN on Amazon.ca.

That is ridiculously cheap.

And ridiculous. I am partially doing this because it is FUNNY how much electricity this low cost hydro generator actually produces.

The "Baoblaze Mini Wind & Water Generator Turbine Hydroelectric Generator Micro DC Motor Water Wind Power Parts" also comes with:

" Complete set mini wind turbine generator and hydroelectric generator motor.
Output terminals are easy for led installation. Just plug and go.
Can be used for wind generator as well as water generator. "

Output Voltage: 0.05-1.5V DC
Output Current： 0.01-0.2mA

It makes you realize that Blue Freedom is basically all logo, brand name, and German guys in fancy suits.

If you just buy the components and build it yourself you can save a tonne of money.

Is it more work than buying the Blue Freedom generator? Yes. But not as much work as building a dam and a method for the fish to traverse the dam.

For the cost of one Blue Freedom Generator ($340 USD) you could get quite a few of the cheaper version. At the current exchange rate that is $436 CDN, so that would be 72 of the little guys.

Now 1.5 volts isn't much, but 72 of them is 108 volts of direct current with 14.4 amps. Place them in the part of the river with the fastest flowing water and you can maximize your results.

Anything over a hundred volts is quite a bit. 600 volts is enough to electrocute someone. 108 volts is actually quite a lot.

amps x volts = watts

So this is 14.4 amps x 108 volts = 1555.2 watts.

Just think of what you can do with 1555 watts.

Back to the dam method...

That larger 12 volt generator (the "SODIAL Water Turbine Generator Micro-Hydroelectric Power DC 12V") is only $14.29.

For the same $436 CDN you could get 30 of the 12 volt generators, producing up to 360 volts of power instead of 108 volts in the above example.

Now I wasn't able to find able to find the amps for the device, but you can best be sure that will be a lot of watts involved. Still not enough to electrocute yourself, but it is still a serious chunk of electricity that would be produced by 30 of those generators.

So how do you even use 30 of those generators? You would need a fairly big dam, or perhaps a series of smaller dams along the river. A small stream would not be enough, you would need at least a large fast flowering stream or a small river.

Thus it really comes back to the idea of real estate. If you want to produce hydro electricity on your property, you really need to find land that has fast flowing water on it (or lots of slow moving water that can be made faster by building a dam).

Plus what would you even do with 360 volts of electricity? That is so much you will never be able to use it all.

How does hydro power compare to solar or wind power?

Well lets check Amazon.ca again...

A small 400 watt (12 volt) wind turbine will cost you $365 CDN.

A larger 3000 watt (48 volt) wind turbine will cost you $1799 CDN.

The "Renogy 200W 12V Polycrystalline Solar Bundle Kit" will cost you $423 CDN (but does come with a kit of other goodies, so that is nice. Unfortunately solar really works at peak efficiency a few hours of the day.

The Solar Tech Canada "1060 Watt 4 X 265 Solar Panel + CE certified 60 Amp LCD Screen Display Intelligent Charge Controller with USB charging Station" will cost you $1,569 CDN + $377.14 shipping, so $1946.14 CDN total.

But price isn't the only factor here. The real question is how many volts and watts are you getting for your investment?

But do any of the above systems provide up to 360 volts of electricity? Nope, none.

The first turbine only provides up to 12 volts, and only when the wind is sufficient.

The second turbine costs over 4 times more than the hydro dam solution, but only a maximum of 48 volts instead of 360 volts. To get the equivalent using the hydro generators you would only need to buy 4 generators for $57.16.

The first solar panel "200W 12V" has less watts than the similarly priced wind turbine, mostly because it is producing half the amps. So in reality it produces half the power of the wind turbine, but costs slightly more.

The 4 solar panel set costs roughly $150 more than the similarly priced wind turbine, but produces roughly one third the watts. It costs roughly 5 times more than the cheaper solar panel kit and produces 5 times the watts, but it is ultimately still more expensive and produces less than the wind turbine.

Clearly from this price analysis, wind turbines are two to three times better than solar panels.

And hydro produces way more than both, but requires some extra work to get that dam in place. (It is easier if the beavers build the dam for you, then all you need is to find some real estate that has a beaver dam.)

Even the ridiculous "72 Baoblaze Minis" solution produces more electricity than the wind turbines or solar panels. And I only did that calculation because it was funny.

The Downsides of Solar, Wind and Hydro

So solar power really works during the day, and only when it is sunny.

Wind power works 24/7, but only when it is windy enough to reach full capacity.

Hydro power is pretty constant, but can be a problem if the river freezes during the winter, and follows the assumption that it rains regularly so that the river or stream does not dry up.

But in terms of costs and the amount of electricity being produced, hydro is very hard to beat.

Just 10 of the 12 volt generators, producing up to 120 volts, at a cost of $142.90 produces more electricity than any of the above 4 wind and solar examples. (And more power than the "72 Baoblaze Minis".)

So there really is no contest in terms of price and the amount of electricity being produced. Hydro is King.

Don't Tell Anyone You Are Building a Residential Dam

Or better yet, buy a place with an existing beaver dam.

So here is the thing: The government doesn't like it when you start building residential dams to make your own electricity. You can also upset your neighbours who live upstream or downstream if they notice changes in water levels. So the best solution is to keep your dam a secret and disguise how you get your electricity.

eg. Hide the dam under some old logs and other debris so it just looks like a natural logjam.

With the beaver dam solution you are using an existing dam and then adding pipes to help drain or partially drain the beaver dam. You then add grates so the beavers cannot mess with your intake pipes.

I wrote about this back in May in the post How to turn a Beaver Dam into a source of Electricity.

Even if you do go for the rather novel beaver dam solution, don't tell anyone about it. Jealous neighbours and upset government officials can get their underwear in a knot about just about anything, so the less they know the better.

It isn't illegal, but people can still give you grief if they see you doing something they wish they had thought of first. Hence why so many Off Gridders value their privacy.

Electrical Shed for an Off Grid Home

Having an Electrical Shed for your Off Grid Home is quite handy for a number of reasons.

Really reduces the noise from a gas or diesel generator.
Good place to store the battery system for your solar panels and wind turbines.
Keeps all electrical items separate from your home in case of any sort of electrical fire in the shed.
Keeps all electrical items away from your home in case your off grid home catches fire (due to a non-electrical reason such as from a wood burning stove).
Good place to store tools.
You can put solar panels on the roof of the shed and the wiring required would be minimal.

So yes, lots of benefits to keeping your electrical items away from your Off Grid Home. And vice versa.

Ontario Off Grid

I also found a good series of videos from "Ontario Off Grid" on YouTube which are worth watching.

I don't know if "Ontario Off Grid" has a website, blog or Facebook page - tried looking, but only found sites with the same name but not the same person. The name sadly is a bit generic so multiple people are using that name.

I even did an image search, hoping to find his logo on the website... and the first images to come up were Project Gridless. Irony.

Scrolled down the images, found nada for his logo. So I have left a message on his "Ontario Off Grid" youtube channel asking whether he has a website. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't.

The shed he built does seem a bit large for 'just a generator shed' so to me it makes sense to just store all of the electrical items (and possibly some tools) in the shed too. If you are going to build a big shed, you might as well use the space for other things too.

So yeah, here are 5 videos from "Ontario Off Grid" covering various aspects of installing a generator in an electrical shed - mostly because it is quieter.

Quiet Generator, Part 1

Quiet Generator, Part 2

Moving Electrical Systems to an Electrical Shed

Insulating the Electrical Shed

Installing a Generator and an Exhaust System in an Electrical Shed

How to turn a Beaver Dam into a source of Electricity

So I was watching the video further below and got an idea. What if a person added an overshot waterwheel generator to the outgoing pipe from draining a beaver pond? Or a water turbine inside the pipe?

It would provide electricity to any nearby home. Cheap renewable electricity.

The 2nd video shows the same pond months later, showing how it is still flowing - and could be providing electricity of the guy in the video (Kevin) had thought of installing a turbine or generator.

And I am apparently not the first person to have had this thought. I found a 3rd video where someone did indeed use pond overflow to provide electricity, roughly 174 volts worth. Actual voltage will no doubt vary on the amount of water flowing through the turbine and the type of turbine being used.

Busting a Beaver Dam and Draining the Pond

Return to the Beaver Pond

Pond Power

Vertical Solar Power Vs Trees

Rooftop Solar Panel Solution

So you've gone off grid and you want to add solar power to your property.

Only one problem, you live in Ontario and there are lots of trees which block the sun regularly. You could:

Place your solar array in an open field, where no trees block the angle of sunlight.
Place the solar array on top of a building, so that the extra height provides a better angle.
If there are trees blocking the angle of the sun, you build it vertical.

So how does building your solar array vertical work?

Well it is simple. You need to build a tall steel pole with a method of attaching your solar panels, cement that tall pole into the ground, and voila! Attach all the necessary wiring, it is done!

Some people even go a step further and make their solar array a specific shape or make it tree-like in shape. This is unnecessary but some people prefer the shape of a tree and the added shade.

Tree-like Solar Array

Solar Panel Picnic Table, not solving the problem of too much shade...

In some cases they might even utilize that shade to put a picnic table underneath, but then they are forgetting why they were building vertical in the first place - to avoid shade from trees. So if you really need to avoid the shade trees, then you need to go further vertical to get the best possible angles to get more sunlight.

The YouTube Channel "Ontario Off Grid" refers to this as the "Tower of Power" solution. Not a new idea, people have been building solar panels vertical for decades now to get better angles for the sunlight.

Solar Power Vs Ontario's Electrical Grid: The Duck Curve

Ontario's electrical grid - indeed, all of North America's electrical grid - has a problem.

As we add more and more solar power to the grid, we are creating a surplus of available electricity during the middle of the day. While that energy is useful to the grid and does get used, it is actually the evening hours of the day where the electricity is most needed.

The evening hours are the time of day when most people come home and do a variety of activities, such as watching TV, using computers, making food in the stove/oven/microwave, and turn on their air conditioners.

When the sun sets energy demand peaks as more people turn on their lights just to see.

Then later in the evening their power consumption drops as they turn off the TV, the lights, and various other ways of using electricity and go to bed. So there is a sudden drop in the amount of electricity being consumed after 9 PM.

If you look at a chart of the day that shows the various hours with a comparison of power consumption and energy availability, the availability of solar energy has caused the chart to end up taking the shape of a duck. Hence why it is called a Duck Curve. See the video below to see what I mean.

For someone who wants to be off grid, this duck curve isn't so much a problem because the whole point of being off the grid is that you are no longer connected to the electricity grid at all.

The typical off gridder will store their electricity in a high capacity battery system so that they can use their electricity whenever they need to. They don't need to worry so much about what hour of the day it is, their primary worry is keeping their battery system full and balancing the amount of electricity going into the batteries with the amount of electricity being used.

For someone who wants to be attached to the electricity grid and sell their electricity to the Province of Ontario, this does become a problem however. It means that during the middle of the day when they are producing the most electricity that there is potentially a surplus of electricity, which means a drop in the value of that electricity.

In other words, too much electricity makes the electricity cheaper.

Meanwhile at the same time, the demand for electricity in the evening is actually getting worse. More people with tablets, phones and other electrical devices is putting an ever greater demand on the electrical grid in the evening. So the "head of the duck" is getting bigger, while the belly of the duck (the surplus of solar energy) is dipping way lower.

This means the electricity grid is completely reliant on nuclear, coal, hydro and wind power during the evening hours and overnight, but the system is becoming more and more stressed during evening hours as demand grows.

So what is the solution?

Ontario needs a way to store electricity.

Effectively what we need is a giant battery, or a series of batteries.

In the past Ontario Hydro has speculated about making a series giant water reservoirs that they fill up with water during times of the day when they have excess electricity to pump water into the reservoirs, and whenever they need that electricity during peak hours of the day they can just turn on the tap, let the water flow through the hydro turbines and then it creates electricity again.

Only problem with this system? The ratio of the amount electricity produced isn't economical. You pump water into the system but the amount of electricity produced by the turbines is only a fraction of what was put in.

But there is actually a better solution, a way to make a giant battery that stores energy, but in this case also provides a way to produce electricity.

GEOTHERMAL

Okay, so what happens with geothermal is that you still store water in giant tanks, but when you want to create electricity you then allow the water to flow down and it gets pumped into the earth's warm crust through pipes. The water then becomes superheated steam which rises up through different pipes and turns steam turbines super-fast.

The steam is then collected, turned back into water and stored once more. Sometimes the steam is released into the atmosphere, resulting in the need to pump more water into the tanks.

There are plenty of existing geothermal plants around the world which produce electricity, with the added cost that they have to pump water from a nearby lake or river to fill up their tanks. All the above solution does is allow the geothermal to do its normal routine of creating electricity, but with the added benefit of using excess solar energy from the grid to run the pumps.

It thus creates a more energy efficient electrical grid which can store and use electricity whenever needed. Because geothermal can be easily turned off and on, it can then be used during peak hours of the day, or even just let it run all day long to create a surplus of electricity which Ontario can then sell to other provinces or to the USA, while only pumping new water into the system during times when there is excess solar power.

Having that surplus of electricity also makes electricity cheaper for everyone in Ontario, and once successful geothermal plants could effectively replace coal plants.

Indeed, old coal plants (which also run on steam turbines) could be retrofitted and turned into geothermal plants.

So why is Ontario not doing this already?

Because the politicians lack vision or an understanding of how this creates a more flexible and economical grid.

Meanwhile, those of us who want to escape expensive electricity bills (in common parlance "hydro bills") are going off grid so we are only paying for the startup costs of our own private solar, wind and battery system.

To which you should also ask yourself when voting in the upcoming Ontario election, which party is most likely to build a geothermal plant?

The current answer?

None.

None of the political parties want to commit to building a geothermal plant (or retrofitting an old coal plant).

They all lack vision.

So if they all lack vision, the only true escape is go off grid yourself.

Profitable Solar Power, Here to Stay

In recent years you may have read headlines like:

"How to Profit from Solar Energy"

"How can electricity from solar energy be profitable?"

"How to sell Solar Power and make Money."

"How to invest in the Solar Industry."

"So How Quickly Can We Shift to Solar?"

"Top 6 Things You Didn't Know About Solar Energy"

"Solar Energy Jobs Outpace U.S. Economy"

Etc.

If you are seeing these headlines or similar headlines, you will understand that isn't just a trend anymore. It has happened. Solar power is now profitable. What it really comes down to is several things...

#1. Solar panels are a lot cheaper than they used to be. The price of photovoltaics have dropped 40% in the last 2 years alone.

#2. Solar panels are significantly more efficient than they used to be.

#3. Solar technology in general has come a long way during the last 50 years.

If you are a James Bond fan like myself, then you should know that solar power was a big theme in the 1974 film "The Man with the Golden Gun".

Ignoring the fact that it was a villain showing off his solar power and that in 1974 the idea of a super efficient photovoltaic (or Solex as they called it in the film) was basically science fiction back then - and so valuable it was worth killing people for it. Today, efficient photovoltaics are a science fact. They are more efficient, they cost significantly less, and nobody is going to be killing people over a bit of technology that will be obsolete in two years when someone invents a more efficient photovoltaic.

For the Off Gridders however, more affordable solar power means they have more options for how to get solar power in their off grid home.

So lets see what one website now charges for such an installation?

Back in 2013 pricing for installing a solar power system for your home would cost:

"At today’s pricing [June 2013], a solar system would typically cost you anywhere from $20,000 – $40,000 in Ontario depending on the size of the system (40k for a 10 kW system and 20K for a 4.5 kW system)."

So now that it is January 2017, and the price of photovoltaics have dropped 40%, shouldn't we see a significant drop in the price?

Yes, but the price of the manpower to install it has probably stayed the same. Much of what you are paying for during an installation is a bunch of men showing up at your home, climbing all over your roof and installing the solar panels.

In Ontario you need all of the following and each of these things comes with a price.

Solar Panels (which is the only thing that is now cheaper)
Rails & Flashing units
Inverter(s) & monitoring
Permits (varies per jurisdiction)
Design
Complete system wiring, disconnects & sub panels
Engineering (if required)
Labour
Electrical
Assistance with OPA & Ontario Hydro paperwork (if you intend to sell power back into the grid)
Squirrel Guard

However in theory if you did most of the labour and other aspects yourself, a real DIY project, then you really just need the solar panels, an electrician, the permits, etc.

If you do end up selling power back into the grid, with a 10 kW system you are expected to make $4,000+ per year for a period of 20 years or more. The more basic 4.5 kW system is for people who want to be self-sufficient, don't think they need the extra energy, and are not intending on selling energy back into the grid.

So the 10 kW system really seems pretty obvious when you think about it. The system pays for itself in approx. 8 to 10 years, plus you save money from not having to pay for electricity for all that time.

Lets do the math... My wife and I currently spend over $800 per year on our electricity, so saving $16,000 over a 20 year period, while getting paid $4000 per year over 20 years...

Minus $40,000 for installation (2013 prices).
Plus $16,000 in savings.
Plus $80,000+ in revenue.
______________________
Profit of $56,000.

So yeah. More than doubles our money in 20 years, all while providing electricity we use anyway. This is definitely going on our To Do List when we buy our first home.

In Ontario there are now Solar Panel Investment companies which buy up land which isn't being used for anything else, build a solar farm with as many large solar panels they can fit onto the property, and then reap the profits over the long term. With the low interest rates for borrowing money, investing in solar power right now is ridiculously profitable. Companies can basically borrow the money, and then pay the interest for the loan using the profits from the solar farm, pay any land taxes, pay the government their share because of income taxes, and voila, they still walk away with a sizable profit.

In July 2015 the Canadian Solar Industries Association released an estimate that was commented on in the Globe and Mail:

"Within five years Ontario homeowners could save enough money by putting solar panels on their roofs that they won’t need any [government] subsidy to make installation worthwhile.

[T]he plunging costs of solar equipment, combined with rising overall electricity costs, will put the two in balance by 2020.

Currently, many Ontario homeowners are installing solar panels, but the incentive is a provincial program that pays them high rates for the electricity they generate – considerably above market prices."

And then there is wind turbines and wind farms, which are even more profitable and cost efficient than solar power. It pisses off the NIMBYs, but frankly their opinions rank up there with conspiracy theorists who think cellphones cause cancer.

You see I can remember a time when solar panels were a joke. That only hippies used solar panels. But today farmers (who are often the salt of the earth, Conservative types) are installing wind turbines and solar panels because they have realized it is a smart investment and uses non-arable land that they would otherwise not be using. So if the farmers are doing it, it must be profitable.

Conclusion: Solar Power is Profitable.

And it is here to stay. It will only get more and more profitable as the years go by.

Which means for people looking to power their off grid home the future is a bright one, where solar power and wind power gets cheaper and more affordable - and the dream of being off the grid is that much closer because it isn't a dream anymore. It isn't science fiction. It is affordable and profitable NOW. So why delay and procrastinate? Do you like getting ripped off by Ontario Hydro and their ever increasing bills? No? Well then hurry up and get solar panels and a wind turbine already you silly stubborn mule.

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