Off The Grid... Is Thinking Out Of The Box
To be most effective, solar panels must be facing south with no shaded areas showing. Mounting the panels on your roof or with a separate apparatus in your yard can provide the energy your home needs to help you reach the net zero levels.
The mission of Off The Grid is to support and promote the use of renewable energy resources among homeowners and small businesses in the greater Madison area. Our goal is to inform people about using renewable energy sources in their everyday living. This includes a complete process of education, planning, selecting product, purchasing and installation.
Our primary product is solar electric power systems (photovoltaic systems) which consist of solar panels, inverters and mounting equipment. Rich Fitzgerald, Owner, Off The Grid, LLC, Renewable Energy Store
Starting The Process
The process has distinct steps, which are:
♦ Education—understanding why renewable energy is an important option to consider
♦ Planning — calculating energy needs and specific installation type for each individual home owner
♦ Products—choosing size/manufacturers for your specific application
♦ Budget—project investment total and payback time
♦ Purchase — utilize grants (available through FocusOn Energy), tax credits (Federal and State) and specific financing programs (available through 1st Choice Mortgage)
♦ Install—professional installation and warranty
Other products available are solar hot water systems (solar thermal systems) as well as dual flush toilets, tankless water heaters, solar powered attic fans and solar back packs.
Books and magazines on renewable energy and sustainable living topics are available for research and sale. Public speaker nights will be offered on a wide variety of green topics, as well as private classes in the classroom facility.
“We have designed a ‘One Stop Shop’ for those homeowners wanting to create a sustainable lifestyle,” Fitzgerald says. “There are so many sources for information, and not all of it applies to homeowners’ needs. Off The Grid is designed to take theory and simply make it part of everyday life.”
Information You Must Know
Rich recommends you consider your personal energy needs such as:
♦ Size of home
♦ People living in home (including ages/energy use habits)
♦ Appliances
♦ Efficiency of Heating & Cooling
♦ Your utility (current utility suppliers)
♦ Utility expenses for past 2-4 years
“Ultimately,” Fitzgerald says, “our goal is to reach a Net Zero on energy usage from your utility over a one year period. That means after one year’s time, you will have no energy expense for your home’s electric mechanical systems. I urge anyone who is interested or even just curious, to come in and learn about the options now available.”
