From the category archives:

OFF-GRID 101

How I built a solar panel for $100 – You can too

December 8, 2009
How I built a solar panel for $100 – You can too

In this article I am going to describe how to build a photo voltaic solar panel for a fraction of the price you would pay a manufacturer. I’ll show you how inexpensive materials and common tools can be used to make panels that rival commercial products in power production, but blow them away on price. Several years ago I bought a remote property in Arizona. I am an astronomer and wanted a place to practice my hobby far away from the sky-wrecking light pollution found near cities of any real size. I found a great piece of land, ...

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Propane Appliances, or Electric?

December 7, 2009
Propane Appliances, or Electric?

The Department of Energy reported in 2007 that natural gas or propane is still the cheaper form of energy compared with electric. Comparing previous years indicates that the cost of using electricity to power and heat our homes will continue to rise. Using alternative forms of power to generate electricity such as solar panels and wind turbines enables us to get out from under the electric companies high bills, unreliable service, and help protect the environment.

That being said however there are some limitations to the types of appliances that we as off-gridders’ are able to use with just solar or wind power.

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Getting canned

November 12, 2009
Getting cannedNo, I'm not talking about your last job... I'm talking about canning. It's all but becoming a lost art. But it doesn't have to be a mystery. I read a great article all about canning, this is about the basics, what you will need to get started, how to determine how many canning jars, rings and lids you will need. This is the part that most canning manuals don't tell you about. Enjoy.

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My Off-grid plan

October 30, 2009
My Off-grid planTreetop Jen has returned home to the UK, and now she is wondering how to reshape her life. Aim: to live off-grid in the back of  a minibus, simply parked in a  'normal' town, with a job in the charity sector, still part of  'normal' society. WHY? Hmmm...where to begin? Well - like most people, I have spent some of my time in life pondering on the future; imagining how my life may turn out & how I might feel in each of the imagined outcomes. I also spent (& still spend) time observing my others' lives around me as they currently are. These two activities left me less & less inclined to live in an 'ordinary' house with a mortgage & equally less willing to rent accommodation;

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Wood stove vs. pellet stove

October 16, 2009
Wood stove vs. pellet stove

Toasty The U.S. federal government is offering a 30 per cent tax rebate in 2009 and 2010 for purchases of wood or pellet stoves that meet a 75 per cent efficiency requirement. Traditional wood-burning stoves enjoy stronger sales, but pellet stoves, which burn compressed sawdust, may be gaining, according to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, a manufacturers trade group.

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Makeshift Workshop Skills for Survival and Self-Reliance book review

October 3, 2009
Makeshift Workshop Skills for Survival and Self-Reliance book review

I typically do reviews on eBooks, but a while back I was contacted by James Ballou to do a review of a hard copy, Makeshift Workshop Skills for Survival and Self-Reliance, published by Paladin Press. Of course I was thrilled to review his book; honestly I had seen it previously and had been interested in reading it, so I jumped at the chance. It turns out that my instincts were correct, this is a great and useful book!

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LaMar’s Simple Solar Homesteading videos

October 1, 2009
LaMar’s Simple Solar Homesteading videos

Some time back, I did a review of LaMar's Simple Solar Homestead, a great (and inexpensive) ebook created by LaMar, the great thing about LaMar, is he is actually LIVING this lifestyle, not just spouting theory.

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How to install the right wind turbine

August 23, 2009
How to install the right wind turbine

Stewart: walking the talk Stewart Somerville owns an Alternative Power company, and even he had problems installing his own wind turbine. With building code issues, parts compatibility problems and technical expertise required, what hope is there for the rest of us?

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How to get your water off the grid

July 26, 2009
How to get your water off the grid

Alternet produced this handy guide to keeping your water off the grid.

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