They’re the two best words in the English language when you put them together, right? – Ursula Todd
What if – it was possible to live lightly and well and in harmony with our Earth? Many people already do so (and some have for thousands of years), but those that do tend to be quiet about it. Still, that which exists must necessarily be possible. QED.
Overview
After 20 years professionally designing and installing practical, high-quality, code-compliant solar and wind systems in upstate New York, I now live and work off-grid in northern New Mexico and let clients find me. I only design off-grid systems. I do not design grid-connected systems; there are plenty of for-profit companies who will happily do that for you. And I do not, ever, incorporate or accommodate fossil-based power generation, so if you want (or already have) this, please look elsewhere. The nearby Permian Basin and fossil fuel industry will provide for you – to their profit, at the cost of humanity’s future. This may seem like a hard line attitude, but it’s based in scientific fact, not ideology or fantasy or hope.
[T]hose who come after will look back on the age of fossil fuel as an age of corruption and poison. The grandchildren of those who are young now will hear horror stories about how people once burned great mountains of poisonous stuff dug up from deep underground that made children sick and birds die and the air filthy and the planet heat up. We must remake the world, and we can remake it better. – Rebecca Solnit
Design philosophy
First, for those who are grid-connected and want to stay that way, it’s ok – and thanks for reading on anyway. Before coming to New Mexico, 99% of all the systems I ever designed and installed were connected to the grid. But I learned something important over that time and it’s the reason I now design off-grid systems only.
It turned out that grid-tie solar often ended up merely supplementing grid electricity usage, so even though utility bills decreased (as promised), clients often ended up using more electricity overall than they had before installing solar! The reasons for this can be debated, but it taught me an important lesson. When one has an essentially unlimited supply of anything (like the electric grid or municipal water) one’s usage of it tends to increase; we take it for granted, we don’t appreciate or respect it as we should, there is no required balance. Living off-grid enforces balance – one has a finite amount of energy (and water) storage and only so many solar hours (and rainfall) in a day to replenish it. It’s a closed cycle, subject to limits imposed by nature. It affects our choices, how we think, and how we live.
If you’re serious about off-grid living, solar electric will be your primary energy source. And it doesn’t matter where you live – urban or rural – just because your electrical panel is connected to the grid now doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. Thoughtful off-grid design means that your loads must be chosen as carefully as the source(s) powering them – this is part of the design process. Further, water and electricity are intimately related, particularly in an arid and fragile ecosystem. This usually means no well pumps to extract water from deep aquifers and choosing composting rather than flush toilets. Think of rainwater catchment like solar ‘catchment’ – precious, limited, yet constantly renewing gifts. Water is Life. Mní Wičóni. Serendipitously, solar panels turn out to be a fabulous way of collecting rainwater.
In passive solar building design, the largest loads will typically be a small amount of active space and water heating helping out a large natural heating contribution. I’m not enthusiastic about burning anything simply to make heat – and with good design it’s completely unnecessary. But sadly, combustion fuels, air pollution, and disastrous global heating apparently remain acceptable choices for many – “after all, that’s what we’ve always done.” And because of that history it’s difficult to imagine solar supplying all of one’s energy. Many traditions are important and wonderful, but not in this case. There are far less impactful ways to live and I’m happy to discuss how to get there with anyone willing to listen. Small is Beautiful and the Precautionary Principle are guiding principles.
For those not building or retrofitting, but still grid-connected, here are some first steps towards getting off-grid. For off-gridders wanting to upgrade their systems, I’m your guy.
Costs and benefits
My design fee is sliding scale based on mutual understanding and other intangible considerations. I do this work because it is right and good, not for profit.
I like to find talented local electricians and craftspersons and personally oversee projects wherever possible. I am uncompromising about quality materials and careful, diligent, skillful labor; I also like teaching people how to do this work safely and well. As a designer, I am frequently able to obtain discounts on materials which I pass on, in full, to clients; I don’t want to be a solar retailer, just a good designer. A full design includes: 1) a detailed CAD schematic; 2) a complete Bill of Materials spreadsheet with approximate costs and suggestions on where to source everything; and 3) a shortlist of reputable tradespeople in your area. I encourage DIY.
In keeping with my flexible design fee, I do not provide free design estimates or quotations for materials – on the assumptions that most people: a) will do their own research, b) already know about how much things cost, and c) trust me to do my job with integrity. Because of parsimony in design, equipment I specify will frequently end up costing less than you expect, but not always. In the end, I firmly believe that careful design and installation can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars for anyone who wishes to avoid overpriced materials and labor, poor system performance, adverse ecological impacts and bad karma.
Contact me
Send me an email at arthur.jensen.weaver@gmail.com with a brief description of your project. I live off-grid without fossil fuels on the Taos Plateau volcanic field in northern New Mexico, am fully connected, and will reply to you promptly. I give preference to projects located within a reasonable driving distance (by EV of course). Thank you kindly 🙏