How it works?

The short version is that power produced by sunlight, wind, or waterpower is stored in batteries. Though limited in quantity, the power from the batteries is available to be used at any time needed day or night. Generated as low voltage DC, the power is usually converted to regular 120 volt AC as it is taken out of the batteries, for use in standard household appliances.

If you are interested in the details of how the equipment is laid out and exactly what components are used, click on our technical overview page, which will return you back here afterward.

What will it cost?

Cost is lowered by using special high efficiency appliances as described above, and by habits of energy conservation. The amount of power you will actually have depends on the natural energy resources at your site, and how much equipment you install to collect the energy.

The total cost of an independent power system can range from about $800 to $31,000, depending on the level of power you desire. The next page helps find your position in that range by offering six examples, ranging from the smallest to the largest, comparing lifestyle, equipment list, and total cost for each. Average cost is about the same as the expense of extending utility lines 1/3 to 2/3 mile. Check into our system sizing examples page for this specific information, and you can return from the examples back to this point.