Main Street Solar does not recommend that a customer who is already hooked up to utility power disconnect and go off-grid. There are many reasons, but some key ones are:
- Grid tie systems are less expensive than off-grid because they require no storage batteries.
- Off-grid solar has some unique design limitations, which means most people will need to adjust their power use habits and may need to replace some appliances (such as an electric furnace or electric oven) to make an off-grid system practical and cost effective.
- Batteries, which are necessary in off-grid systems to provide power at night or at other times when power is not being produced, can be expensive and they require regular maintenance. They also have a shorter life expectancy than most other solar system components, which means that they not only add to the upfront cost of a system, but they add to the costs over time because batteries need to be replaced “regularly”.
- On-the-grid solar systems offer you the best of both worlds. You can have your system sized so that your 12 month average electrical bill next to nothing, but still have the flexibility to at any time draw more than your solar array is producing without having to do a thing.
