I'd like to diversify my electricity sources

[CatherineID]

Right now we're 100% on grid. If not at this house (which we're planning on selling), at the next house I'd like to diversify my electricity sources. My husband is an electronics engineer and does most of the electricity-related work around the house. The problem is he travels for his job and doesn't have much time to devote to projects around here. I'm going to be mostly on my own when it comes to developing non-grid electricity sources.

I think I'd like to have a back-up generator first - something to run the well pump if needed. I wouldn't want electricity for too long each day, just a little bit, short term. I'm not worried about light, cooking or heat because we have non-electricity back-ups for those items.

I'd like to switch some of our hot water over to solar. Right now we have an electric water heater with no way to switch to natural gas because, due to our set-up, we can't vent a gas water heater.

So the rest of our electricity needs would be clothes washing (I could hang dry) and refrigeration / freezing.

What do you suggest? I'm on my own to do this and probably outside of my skill & confidence level to do the conversions (old dogs / new tricks and all that). Anyone have experience hiring contractors to do this work?

[Drawbar]

The problem is when you start hiring contractors, you start getting into money and that really ups the cost. Soon your return on investment is pretty poor. That is, it costs you more to buy the stuff then you will ever get paid back in savings.

In your case where you may sell the home, I would just wait and buy energy saving units that you can take with you like washing machines, dryers and refrigerators. Even if you don't take these with you, they are major selling points.

In 5 years time you will never recoup any green power device that I know of. Solar, wind, geothermal...these all have a return on investment measured in decades, not years.

With the grid becoming more and more powered by green power, conservation is the best investment for your situation.

[otterbob]

I think I'd like to have a back-up generator first - something to run the well pump if needed. I wouldn't want electricity for too long each day, just a little bit, short term. I'm not worried about light, cooking or heat because we have non-electricity back-ups for those items.

I'd like to switch some of our hot water over to solar. Right now we have an electric water heater with no way to switch to natural gas because, due to our set-up, we can't vent a gas water heater.

So the rest of our electricity needs would be clothes washing (I could hang dry) and refrigeration / freezing.

What do you suggest? I'm on my own to do this and probably outside of my skill & confidence level to do the conversions (old dogs / new tricks and all that). Anyone have experience hiring contractors to do this work?


This is a tough question so lets break it down a little more to get a better idea of what you want/need .

"I wouldn't want electricity for too long each day, just a little bit, short term."

Do you intend to use your diversified electricity each day or only in an emergency ?

Otter Bob