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While many major power companies now offer green tariffs, small-scale energy systems may offer a sensible and sustainable alternative to people who really want to know where their power comes from. Off-grid living can also be a viable purse-friendly solution to those who live far enough from the beaten track that the cost of grid connection is prohibitive.
Off The Grid includes updated information on legislation and planning information. It also supplies the means by which you can assess your domestic needs, make the most from the resources around you and make an informed choice about what system - whether wind-powered, photo-voltaic, water-driven or geothermal, would suit you and your surrounding environment. It also offers practical information about installing, controlling and maintaining a variety of systems.
Written in an accessible, no-nonsense style, together with clear illustrations, Off The Grid is a good starting point for anyone considering switching to self-generated, non-grid or grid-linked power. It is also a handy reference point for those who already have some knowledge of the field.
1. Why use renewable electricity 2. Basic system design 3. Assessing your loads 4. Generating power 5. Storing your electricity using batteries 6. Converting DC to AC with inverters 7. Controlling and monitoring your power 8. Connecting it all to together 9. Mobile systems Case study 1: Hydro system Case study 2: Wind/solar hybrid system Case study 3: Nyahode School, Zimbabwe Case study 4: Mobile home, UK Glossary Resources Index
Duncan Kerridge and contributor David Hood are experienced in various forms of energy production. Duncan Kerridge has worked in renewables both in the UK and abroad, most recently for Dulas Engineering as a biomass specialist. David Hood is an engineer and works as a consultant for the Centre for Alternative Technology.
