Live off the grid?

Question

Is there anyone that actually really lives off of the grid and is completely self sufficient in the US or is that just a nice theory.

Answer 1

yes its possible using solar and wind generators.Some states even have cash incentives to do this California is one of them and if you generate more then what you can use they will buy it {need to be hooked up to the grid to sell to utility}

Answer 2

Let me start off by saying we (my family and I) live completely, 100% “off of the grid and are completely self sufficient” and by quoting bohemian_garnet from a similar post, because she pretty much hits the nail on the head…

“You put in the words "self sufficient." I don't believe most of the people… really have any idea what that entails.”

In order for one to be completely / 100% self sufficient and live off-grid they must…

Not need ANY outside resources or assistance

This means giving up unneeded luxury items and/or comfort items and any outside help what so ever, if it can’t be built and sustained by yourself (ie. Cell phones, garage door openers, door bells, tv, Dorito’s, etc)

You’d need to produce, grow or build your own food, home, fuel, protection, entertainment, etc

Create or have no need for an income

Basically have no need to leave your land for any reason what so ever.

We’ve lived self sufficiently off the grid for over 5 years now. In 2003 I left an Engineering position with Boeing, sold 2 houses and most of our positions, purchased a small ranch in West Texas near the Mexican border, built a completely green home using 100% recycled and local (rocks, lumber, sand from the ranch) materials, built a wind generator and some solar panels, built a hydrogen generator and converted the vehicles to run on alternative energy, purchased some goats, chickens, ducks, lamas, etc, a composting toilet, water storage tanks, planted crops and fruit trees and settled down for the long run. We typically don’t leave the ranch for 6-8 months at a time, and only then to visit family.

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.

To see some pics of the ranch you can check out my photobucket below, navigate with the tabs on the left (hacienda, misc, guest house, etc), we’re adding every day so be patient and don’t laugh at my scraggly winter beard..

http://s37.photobucket.com/albums/e88/ar...

We also built many 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. Anyone interested can check it out at..

http://www.agua-luna.com/guides.html

The ranch consists of appx 300 acres of unfenced, high mountain land in West Texas. Our nearest “neighbor” is about a 45 minute drive, with the nearest US “town” (or walmart) about a 5 hour drive.

Every animal has a specific function and value including the cats and dogs. We have a small heard of Boar / nubian goats (meat / milk), chickens (meat and eggs), ducks (meat and eggs), peacocks (meat, eggs and alarm system, they let off a high chirp when a predator comes around to alert the dogs), a small pack of Northern Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs (their light color, short hair, large game hunting history, size and African breed temper makes them a much better desert adapted dog to serve as security and hunting on the ranch.), 17 cats (which clean the bugs, snakes, insects, from the area), 2 lama’s (work, security and pack).

We do not feed any of our animals ever (except left overs). When we go on vacations for months at a time (the once or twice per year) the animals themselves are completely self sufficient and live off the land entirely. All animals are completely free range and have never had a collar, harness or locked fence or cage. The cats eat snakes, mice bugs, etc. Dogs eat rabbits, squirrels, snakes, etc. The goats, lamas, chickens, peacocks and ducks graze the wild grass.

We grow our own crops, citrus, fruits and vegetables. Trap and hunt our own game and fowl. Brew our own beer and process our own fuel. We make cheese and soap from goatmilk, smoke and jerky the meat, etc.

There are no utility lines, no phone lines, cell service, no water lines, no sewer lines, no roads, no tv, no radio, 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 stored from the rain. Grey water and the waste from the compost toilet go to the crops. 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).

As we have no bills, no mortgage and do not pay taxes (buahaha don't tell anyone) we have little use for money (any extra money saved up usually goes towards traveling).

Since we have VERY little contact with society we do not get sick (haven't even had a cold in 5 years), IF we ever did or IF someone needed medical attention, our southern property line boarder's The Rio Grande where medicine and medical attention is extremely cheap.

Lastly the Amish and Mennonites have been living self sufficient off the grid for hundreds of years and because they do it in entire communities, they may be the only “true” self sufficient entities in the US today.

If you'd like more info on how you can make the transition easily I've wrote several guides on the subjects to help walk you threw, available at http://www.agua-luna.com/guides.html

feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions,

Dan Martin

Retired Boeing Engineer now living 100% Off-the-Grid with my family, using Alternative Energy & loving every minute.

for more info visit agua-luna com

Answer 3

If you mean electricity, yes, but I don't think anyone can be completely "off the grid" if you mean rely on outside factors. The minute they have a vehicle, or telephone, if nothing else, puts them back on the grid, so to speak.

I have friends who are probably as close to off the grid as people can get -- 100% solar electricity and hot water,  wood burning stove for heat, spring water,  composting everything including body waste, recycle greywater, grow 90% of their own food.  But, they have a car and a phone and a computer, have to purchase propane for their fridge and stove.  Oh, and they many of their clothes.

So, no, I don't think in today's society anyone can really be off the grid, if you mean more than electrical.

To totally be self-sufficient, it takes a great deal of land with the appropriate resources.  Unfortunately, in a burgeoning population, very, very few people have the luxury to be off-grid.  Don't we all wish we had 300 acres to be "off grid."  There isn't enough room in the world.  So, that all brings it back to nice theory except for a very, very few....simply beyond practicality based on the number of people on this planet.