Freedom from utility bills?

Question

is beckoning, if we, the majority, opt for renewables.

It's perfectly possible.

Or have I got "it" wrong?

Answer 1

Your not wrong. Most or a lot of us aren't able to do as much as we'd like at least not as fast anyway.

Check this out. I signed up for it I should get my panels in a year. Which is fine since i can't afford to spend 30,000 to 40,000 to buy my own. my rates are locked in and won't go up.For the length of my contract. and we all know the electric company will do nothing but go UP  

Answer 2

Yes, it is possible to have freedom from utility bills, but it is not possible to have freedom from energy bills. Even with sustainables, you have the intial cost of installation, then the cost of maintenance. I will agree though, that the cost of normal maintenance is way less than an electric and gas bill every month.

We had a self sustaining homestead in California for many years. We used solar and wind power and augmented with propane. The equipment was way outdated when we finally sold out last year and moved to another state.

But, speaking from experience, yes, it is quite possible to live off the grid. It takes money, mechanical ability for maintenance, and the spare time to do it with. One needs to carefully consider their financial and personal abilities when deciding on whether to go completely off grid or not.

Answer 3

you know the answer. have you seen Masdar city? it is just coming to life now.  totally sustainable with 0 yes zero carbon and off the grid.

also watch some videos of ed begley or a virtual look at someone living green look at "living with ed - ed begley and his wife rachelle" on facebook and other links on their page. its easy being green:)

Answer 4

renewable or not, if you want to read a book after dark, yoo need light. either pay the electric company, raise bees for the wax, or go to bed early.

there are costs associated with every choice. nothing is free. would you work for nothing? probably not. neither will the bee keepers.

Answer 5

Renewable energy doesn't claim to be free. No matter how electricity is generated there are costs involved. I have panels, but it will be 6 years before I break even, then I'll have many years of little or no electric bill, at some point I will need to repair or replace them. We are generating 2 huge solar plants in CA, but the electricicty they generate will be billed to the customers the same as any other, there again were huge upfront expenses, and maintenance involved with running such a plant. Plus we still need to have some other source of power for when the sun isn't out.

Answer 6

This is a great idea for those that are able, however not everyone can live off the grid, of for that matter would not want to, when it is so much cheaper to connect to the grid, and and not have the extra expense of battery back up, with the possibility of receiving a check from the utility company for power not used by you put back into the grid.

I could even supplement your vacation for that unused power while you are on vacation.

There are a lot of people who live in apartments that would not have the option available.

however those that can install alternative energy, but not afford a full array of solar panel, could add one or two panels and could effectively lower their utility bills and lower the drain on the grid.

Answer 7

In order to be "free" from utility bills you would have to generate electricity yourself such as through wind turbines or electric generating solar panels (the renewables). With today's technology this would be very difficult to do if you consider the cost of the equipment and maintenance.

If you asked the same question 10 years ago it would be considered almost impossible. So we are gaining ground. In another 10 years we may find the answer. So no, you Do Not have it wrong.

Answer 8

Hi Jillion,

I don't think you are wrong, I have met many different people from everywhere in the globe with the same questions. Can we make it? We did it once and many people from rural areas still do it, some in a different way.

Maybe as you, I believe we are highly dependable on the resources that confortably we get by paying a bill, sadly many more don't really care much about where they came from and how sustainble they are.

I have friends with different proyects, I support the idea of one of them because I visited them and saw the results and embrace the idea about having somebody doing it. I'm going to check out your website too, I enjoy the idea of having more people doing things their way to make things different.

This is an answer from Dan Martin, about living off the grid:

"Let me start off by saying we (my family and I) live completely, 100% “off of the grid and are completely self sufficient”

The house is built utilizing natures natural elements, in the shape of an octagon with 8ft wide arch doors on every wall to catch every angle of wind (typical 4 sided homes have half the chance as one with 8 sides. A circle being the most efficient design). Woodburning stoves, solar chimney, solar AC, solar heating, solar water heating (pool and home), solar stove, solar power, wind power, hydrogen powered back up generator, hydrogen back up water heater, hydrogen stove, 2 hydrogen powered trucks, 1 EV (electric vehicle) and satellite internet.

We also built many green small cabins on the ranch that we offer to family, friends and our on-site off-grid workshop guests, including one straw bale, one papercrete, earth bag and adobe, one cob and cordwood, one underground and rammed earth, one log and post and beam and one rock. Each one actually started as a test for what the main house would be and were later finished and turned into guest cabins. I later wrote a guide on how to build with alternative materials using alternative methods for next to nothing.

We raise meat and milk goats, chickens for meat and eggs, ducks for meat and eggs, trap havilina (wild boar pig), rabbit, quail. brew our own beer from home grown products, preserve our fruits, vegetables, etc. smoke and jerky the meat, make our own soap, cheese.

There are no utility lines, no water lines, no roads, tv, cell service, etc. on our ranch. EVERYTHING needed is produced here. All electricity comes from 27 solar panels, 2 main wind gens and a back hydrogen generator if needed (typically we can last 9 days with all luxuries of sunless windless weather, hasn't happened yet). Water is caught and storaged from the rain. Hot water is made with solar batch water heaters with an on-demand hydrogen hot water heater as backup. Even our vehicles use alternative energy (2 hydrogen trucks, 1 EV electric vehicle converted). Because of this we have no bills, no debt and no mortgage.

Anyone interested can check it out at..

www agua-luna com

I believe this is the first step anyone can make “help the environment”. Once you convert your own life style to a greener more eco friendly route, you can start helping others."

Now, Jill, the answer can keep going on and many people will add more to your answer, which I find a good way to come up with amazing or interesting ideas. Have a good day.

Answer 9

If you really really beleive that you have far more problems than yahoo. q and a can help you with.