A Guide to Off Grid Living and Self Sufficiency

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE: A GUIDE TO OFF-GRID LIVING AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY In a society that promotes an "ethos of convenience," working toward self-sufficiency can be particularly rewarding. Disconnecting your home from the grid is a key factor in transformation to a revitalized energy future, with self-sufficiency at the center. STEP 1: CUT YO UR POWER US AGE Reduce your energy use with energy efficiency methods and lower energy consumption 23% The U.S. could cut energy consumption 23% by 2020 just by implementing energy efficiency measures, such as improving the thermal envelope of buildings Would amount to a $1.2 TRILLION REDUCTION IN WASTE 20%-35% Energy consumption can be cut by two-thirds just by: Good attic insulation can reduce heating and air conditioning costs 20%-35% 20%-40% REPLACING INCANDESCENT BULBS WITH COMPACT FLUORESCENTS Energy-efficient appliances use 20%-40% less energy than comparable new appliances, and about 50% less energy than 20-year-old appliances BUYING ENERGY-EFFICIENT APPLIANCES For every degree you turn down your thermostat, you save roughly INSTALLING SURGE PROTECTORS 1-3% AND SWITCHES ON ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT on your heating bill STEP 2: FIND AN ALTERNATE SOURCE OF WATER How much water do you need? >300 gallons: Daily home water use of the typical American family 16.8% 5.3% SHOWER OTHER 21.7% 13.7% THES WASHER LEAKS 26.7% 15.7% TOILET FAUCETS 1. REDUCE YOUR WATER USE BUY WATERSENSE-LABELED TAKE SHORTER SHOWERS INSTALL A COMPOSTING TOILETS AND FAUCETS TOILET SYSTEM 11 12 1 10 9. About 20% more water-efficient than average products 2. INSTALL WATER COLLECTION AND CLEANING SYSTEMS OR PURCHASE A RAINWATER CISTERN $3,000- I$15,000 Cost of installation can range from $2,820-S6,130, depending on how much work you do yourself COST OF A WELL, DEPENDING ON DEPTH Cistern costs vary widely STEP 3: SECUR E AN EN ERGY S OURCE If you generate vour own energy, there are options to sell it back to the grid and make money. SOLAR PANELS 97% $4,500-$12,000 COST OF SOLAR PANELS FOR A TYPICAL HOME of Americans overestimate the cost of a solar panel installation COST-CUTTING OPTIONS: Cash incentives of up to $6,000 from states The average cost of solar panels has Federal and DECREASED 60% SINCE 2011 |IŠII local tax credits and utilities MICROGRIDS WIND TURBINES GEOTHERMAL 50-120 FT: 3,386 MW A microgrid is a small, local energy system that Height of the tower you'll need for your wind turbine of installed can operate disconnected from the main grid. capacity in the U.S. HYDROELECTRIC "VEHICLE-TO-GRID" TECHNOLOGY (EV2G) The U.S. has enough hydroelectric-generating capacity to power Options are developing for electric vehicle owners to store energy with their vehicles and sell it back to the grid 72-96 million homes STEP 4: PRODUCE YOUR OWN FOOD THE FOOD SYSTEM ORGANIC FARMS 33 GALLONS: now uses roughly use as much as Average water footprint of 1 apple O 19% of the total fossil fuel ONE-THIRD LESS burned in the country fossil fuel than conventional farms -1 GALLON WHAT CAN YOU DO: ADVANTAGE: According to the EPA, Americans throw out 25% of the food they prepare 25% REDUCE the need for water, fertilizers, and pesticides Grow herbs in containers or vegetables in your yard COMPOST FOOD The U.S. spends approximately $1 BILLION REDUCE household waste SCRAPS, AND HUMAN Raise chickens for eggs AND ANIMAL WASTE each year disposing of this food ENVIRONMENTALLAW.VERMONTLAW.EDU SOURCES http://www.mckinsey.com/client_service/electric_ http://www.nrdc.org/airlenergy/ http://www.businessinsider.com/this-guy-saved-so-much-on-energy-his-electric-company-thought-hed-tampered-with-the-meter-2012-6 http://www.epa.gov/watersense/our_water/water_use_today.html http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2008/11/are-shorter-showers-beside-point http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmentaligreen-science/living-off-the-grid2.htm http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/home-solar-lease-0811 http://money.msn.com/personal-finance/want-to-get-off-the-grid-itll-cost-you http://news.consumerreports.org/homel/2012/08/results-of-consumer-reports-wind-turbine-tests.html http://www.geo-energy.org/currentUse.aspx http://www.hydro.org/tech-and-policy/faq/# 494 http://money.msn.com/personal-finance/want-to-get-off-the-grid-itll-cost-you http://www.businessinsider.com/david-hoffman-must-tear-down-his-self-sustaining-home-2012-7 and natural gas/latest_thinking/unlocking_energy_efficiency_in_the_us economy genergy/longterm.asp Institute for Energy and the Environment