Off-gridders take energy needs into own hands

In a world where energy supplies can seem increasingly at risk, some people living in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada, have taken matters into their own hands.

They are building their dream home – and it’s off-grid.
Their goal is to be as self-sufficient as possible and so have installed solar panels, batteries and a back-up generator.

A 2,100 watt solar energy system is large enough to keep a small freezer, fridge, washing machine and laptops running, they say, adding that they hope to triple or quadruple their solar-generating capacity in the future.

With the cost of energy soaring in many parts of the world, thanks in part to the war in Ukraine, it’s possible that more people will consider installing solar panels and battery systems to lower their costs – or even go off-grid entirely that can keep going after severe weather or other disasters have interrupted the main supply.