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Livin’ large by goin’ small
I am fascinated by the tiny home or tiny house movement, I have lived in fairly small spaces for a number of years, first living…
Living in a shed? Why not?
Food, water and shelter are 3 of the main requirements to live, today we will talk about shelter, your home. Many of us don’t have…
- Energy ·
12% of population will go off-grid: Accenture
Consulting company Accenture forecast that 12 per cent of American households will be off-grid by 2035, and 11% in Europe. Steady growth of distributed energy…
It’s been 8 years now…
This week, we have many things to be thankful for, Christmas is fast approaching, we are healthy, there is food in the fridge and on…
Should homeowners with solar panels pay to maintain electrical grid?
The costs of solar energy are plummeting, and now are about on par with the electricity generated at big power plants. This new reality intensifies…
Roswell Bunker for sale
ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — An underground missile silo is currently one of New Mexico’s hottest real estate properties. More than 40 people, some from out…
Homesteading, the good, the bad and the ugly
Or, what could possibly go wrong? I found this posted on a homesteading FaceBook page, this is probably one of the most honest assessments of…
Fugitive Family
The Irish Times reports on an American family being featured on Channel 4 TV tonight. They have spent the last 14 years living in isolation…
Off-Grid in Terlingua TX
I remember, shortly after we moved to our off-grid life in far west Texas, one day we had the radio playing, we could only get…
Small town politics
You have found the perfect piece of land, it’s out in a rural area, you don’t have many neighbors, as time goes by you get…
- Energy ·
Kodiak Power pack
Going out and about for a few days or living full-time away from Utilities, the Kodiak box from Outdoor Technology is one of the better…
Mixing different solar panels
Like many people starting out going off-grid, your pocketbook is being pulled in many different directions, so you buy a few solar panels to get…
- Energy ·
Never a better time to unplug in South Africa
Soaring utility costs and power blackouts are pushing more and more South African homeowners to find new ways of living. Warnings earlier this month that…
- Energy ·
In UK and US – fears of winter blackouts
PANAPRESS & D Tel: – What does New York City have in common with London? They are both threatened by ageing power plants and failing…
In the beginning, the first night
Winter 2007 The wind was blowing a gale, harder than any wind I have even been in before. The walls were shaking and rattling, threatening…
UK Surf Centre to go off-grid
A SURF centre in Easter Compton near Bristol is launching a £150,000 crowdfunding campaign that will help fund some of the site’s sustainability plans. The…
- Solar ·
Competition for off-grid ideas
WWF South Africa is hoping for more entries into its annual Climate Solver Awards. The competition is a chance to show off innovative technologies geared…
The beginning…
Spring 2007 “What do you think?” PB asked with a hopeful look on his face. “What about your job? Our families? Your kids were born…
- Energy ·
Australian Micro-Grids challenge Utilities
The penetration of rooftop solar in Australia tells the story of just how keen consumers are to generate their own electricity. But some are going…
A solar bus home
I have a great love for small homes and portable homes, many of the DIY bus conversion homes are pretty good, but this one is…
- People ·
‘Risking it All’ TV series sees families downshift
TLC show has three families start a new life outside the system
Waste oil heaters
Winter is here, all the way down here in far west Texas, tonight it will get down into the low 20s(F), definitely wood stove fire…
How to grow a Sky Castle
Ever wonder how a sky castle grows? One room at a time :) In this case, this “room” was a semi enclosed deck between the…
- People ·
America’s Fugitive Family star on UK TV
In another portrayal of off-gridders as Raving Monsters, British Channel 4 has secured access to controversial American family The Grays, who have spent the last…
Off-Grid Gas in rip-off Britain
One in five households are without mains gas… and they need help say Welsh politicians. THE one in five Welsh homes without mains gas need…
It’s not too soon…
October is gone, November is here, it’s getting dark earlier (for those of us in the Northern hemisphere), it’s getting cold…. it’s also getting closer…
- Solar ·
Hawaii Electric takes control of Oahu solar panels
A Hawaiian Electricity Company is putting up huge obstacles to individuals who want solar panels on their roofs, driving many of them to go completely…
Buying your own land
Buying land, it’s something you will be doing if you want to homestead or go off-grid on your own. Personally I wouldn’t want to “go…
Off-Grid guests
Moving to and setting up your off-grid home, it’s most likely in an out of the way, rural, scenic spot, a place that is often…
- People ·
Living in a Fire Truck
Forester Simon Danant started living in his 1980s Bedford truck last summer. Its a former Army fire engine. He moves it around Cambridgeshire, living behind…
A DIY survival sling shot with big game capabilities
Could you survive in the wilderness with only a sling shot as your weapon? Lots would depend on your survivability. Having a means to…
LED technology and DIY
Off-Gridders have been around for a long time, but it’s just been recently that technology has been available to make living off-grid as cushy as…
- Food ·
Permaculture in Colorado needs a water permit
“A forest full of food” has a nice ring to it, and the concept is realized using permaculture farming techniques. Grant and Kathy Curry of…
Pizza pizza
This past week was a hard one, my work partner and I worked extra long days so that we could have a few extra days…
- Energy ·
Batteries not improving, so gadget efficiency is goal
WSJ 5th Oct – There is no Moore’s law for batteries. That is, while the computing power of microchips doubles every 18 months, the capacity…
Great Autos for the Boonies
Getting away from it all – really away – is harder than most would like to think. I went to an off-grid festival last month…
Off-Grid update
Winter is coming, it’s well into fall and the season is definitely changing. The air is cooler, especially in the mornings, crisp, I can smell…
- Food ·
Freezing food
For the longest time, I’d buy my produce at the farmer’s market over the weekend. When the next Friday rolled around and I hadn’t used…
- Solar ·
IEA confirm mega-trend to off-grid power
Energy harnessed from the sun is predicted to displace fossil fuels by 2050 as the cost of solar cells plummets Solar power will reach commercial…
- Solar ·
Water-cooled solar panel
A new solar harvester that can provide power and clean water is in the works. Its hardly suprising that panels can overheat in the very…
- People ·
Lights goes off-grid to get her Mojo back
Hanging out with hippies in a New Mexico hot spring isn’t the first place you might picture Canadian electropoop singer-songwriter Lights — finding inspiration for…
Pro-democracy protesters go off-grid to evade police crackdown
HONG KONG (CNN) — It was 10 PM on Sunday and 22-year-old Michelle Li, a dancer, saw Facebook updates of police tear gassing pro-democracy protesters…
- Events ·
Garlic festival
ORANGE, MASS, 28 Sept — Thousands of people began making their way to a field in the middle of nowhere Saturday to enjoy the 16th…
The ultimate bachelor pad on wheels
Brett Sutherland built the ultimate bachelor pad on wheels to suit his need for a home, balancing cost with useability without sacrificing style, this is…
- Land ·
Alaska to be the next Florida?
Climate change will make the most desirable places to live currently, uninhabitable by the middle of this Century – according to a scientific paper in…
- Solar ·
Retired Engineer pimps his RV
Thomas “Tim” Lemieux lives in an unlikely showcase for green energy: a 1997 Winnebago recreational vehicle. Scale a narrow ladder up the side of the…
- Energy ·
The battle for DC power starts in Pittsburgh
2014 OCT 4 Investment Weekly News — PITTSBURGH- Is Pittsburgh to be home of a second War of the Currents? In the late 1880s, Pittsburgh…
New hybrid generator
UK Digger and Tractor manufacturer, JCB has launched its first hybrid diesel-electric generator set, supposedly intended for the off-grid market. But it does not allow…
- Solar ·
How to keep solar generators running at night
* Promises more effective thermal heat storage than current methods * Company expects quick market penetration * Says can match fossil fuel-fired power plants on…
Picking the wrong plant
Since having such a wet rainy season, as compared to the previous several rainy seasons, I have seen many more species of wild plants growing,…
Greedy power companies in Queensland
By David French – journalist on the Queensland Times (a greedy newspaper) RATHER than embracing change, the owner-custodians of Queensland’s power industry have treated it…
Bobbage bridge update
Strange name for a title, Bobbage, well if you have followed me for any length of time, you will know that Bobbage is what we…
What do you miss about living off-grid?
A BBC pop-up asks folks living in Colorado what they miss about leaving the grid behind. Its a nice compilation of radio voices, with scenic…
Make a wish, believe in it
As the end of summer slides past us, the days are getting shorter and cooler. Our rainy season has all but ended, the last few…
Looking for Real Families living off the grid
The success of Alaska Bush people on Discovery TV has pushed off-grid living up the agenda. But its another example of choosing off-grid people because…
- Energy ·
National Grid condemns NY families to cold winter
The effects of the polar vortex last winter are still lingering in Upstate New York, where 24,000 households had their power shut off in June…
- Events ·
London party for Finding Infinity
London, 4 September 2014 – Fashion Designer Vivienne Westwood held the first of a series of solar-powered parties to promote the use of renewable energy.…
Fermented foods
Earlier today, after church, I was getting ready to lay down to take a nap, the radio was playing softly in the background, I typically…
- Events ·
Invisible Woman re-elected
They just don’t get it do they? The Green Party, once the repository for the hopes and dreams of UK environmentalists, continues to do everything…
Now I’m a working gal – blog post
We have been living 100% off-grid since December ’07, before leaving our old life, we both worked jobs, he had his restaurant equipment repair business,…
Building up
This young family lives in Portland Oregon on a half lot, their home is very small by most standards, preferring to build UP instead of…
Tree house vacation
Book a tree house on the Edisto River. These tree houses have no electricity or running water, but are considered one of the South Carolina…
Cheap portable solar power setup
The chatter about solar power and energy storage over the last few years, might make you come to the wrong conclusion that such systems are…
Yes, Texas has mountains…
…and other random thoughts. :) One of the questions I get asked when I tell people where I live (on a mountain side, in the…
- Energy ·
Harvesting Excess Man Made Energy
Albany NY designer, Manoocher Zarif is piloting a device that converts vibrations found in urban traffic into electricity. The industrial design graduate came across the…
- Water ·
Trout Pout – off-gridders ticked off with obscure fish
ORANGE COUNTY, Aug 24th – Mike Milligan trudges up the canyon, gesturing at bone-dry trees, streams that have turned to trickles and thick carpets of…
Get to know your property before you build
OK, you have purchased your land, you are all excited about getting your off-grid homestead going, but before you set your first post, before you…
Living and building off-grid on the cheap
Going off-grid on the cheap, it’s possible to do, but you should be creative and flexible, the property was the biggest expense, buying a property…
How to start a farm with *no money – video
This video is titled, “How to start a farm with no money”, well I’m here to tell you that you need SOME money, but if…
Legal tiny home
I love these tiny homes, this one is particularly interesting because it’s completely legal, not saying all the other tiny homes are illegal, in some…
- Events ·
Nick Rosen appearances this month
Utah public radio, USA on 20th August at 9AM MST for one hour OFF-GRID FESTIVAL on 14th August at 3pm Contact nick@off-grid.net with any questions…
- Energy ·
Platinum fuel cell trials in S Africa
Renewable Energy mag reports Canadian fuel cell manufacturer Ballard Power Systems and Anglo American Platinum, the world’s largest primary producer of platinum, have launched a…
Permaculture in Moretown, Vermont
Ben Falk is a permaculture designer based in Moretown, Vermont. In this video, he speaks about different aspects of homesteading and cold weather, notably his…
A new doc in town
I think I am in love, and it’s with another man, but it’s not what you might think :) About a month ago, I took…
Portable tiny house and airstream-ish office
Ann Holley wanted to create an off-grid, transportable tiny house that would be technically an RV, but with an aesthetic that wouldn’t feel like living…
- Events ·
Total Luxury with no Utilities
A luxury hotel with no mains utilities is being built on the island of Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania. The Uzuri Hotel Resort, anticipated…
Delivery Van to RV for £6000
The ordinary-looking blue van has a chimney protruding from the roof. This leads down to a wood burner in the former window-glazing truck, which a…
- Energy ·
UK industry weaning itself from the grid
British business lobby group Confederation of British Industry says UK manufacturers are looking to generate their own power to sidestep fears of rising energy prices…
A bridge to Bobbage
Living here going on 8 years and we still have to hike up to the sky castle, the reason is because of a seasonal creek…
Off the Grid and On the Cloud
Why do we have the slogan “off the grid and on the cloud?” Because we advocate combining ancient wisdom with the latest technology. It’s great…
Gear you need in your bug-out location
Imagine the collapse of society because there is an extreme weather event or the Chinese economy implodes bringing down the global system No reason for…
- Energy ·
Apple to leave the grid behind
Computer maker Apple has long been providing its own power at its HQ in Cupertino CA. Now the company has announced it is extending the…
Gardening roundtable
About a week ago, I got a phone call from one of my neighbors and friends out here, it was time to do another gardening…
How to build your own water cistern system
What Is A Water Cistern System? Those living in a municipality often take for granted utility services that many rural property dwellers are not privileged…
Off-Grid village planned for New South Wales
As Australian power prices rise and alternative-energy technologies progress, a growing number of Ozzies are opting to disconnect. Retired scientist and businessman Doone Wyborn and…
Ascalapha Odorata aka Duppy Bat
My late night visitor, these huge creatures show up each year in late spring early summer, they become active in the late evening and night,…
- Urban ·
Interview with America Unplugged character
Sportsman Channel are running a great series about ordinary people who live off the grid or off-grid ready – meaning they COULD go off-grid if…
Greenpeace “loses $5m” of donations
Greenpeace, the environmental charity that lost its way over a decade ago, has announced it has also lost money – over $5 MILLION dollars of…
Happy Father’s Day
My Dad is much of the reason why I am getting to live my dream, he gave me a sense of adventure from a young…
- Events ·
Stars of “America Unplugged” are modern MacGyvers
Ryan Lapinski always wanted to be MacGyver, the TV character solving problems with a bit of candle wax and a plastic bag. “I watched that…
off the grid but on the cloud
Cloud computing may seem incompatible with being off-grid, but there are ways to live in the cloud even when you don’t have an Internet connection.…
Short cycling? Problem solved :)
Short cycling, it makes me think of riding a bike a very small distance, or someone riding a really short bike…. actually it’s when a…
Tiny Homes – the Big Picture
OFf-Grid News reports on the booming Tiny Homes movement. The houses are the size of a regular settee or a little bigger. They are painted…
- People ·
Ex-cop predicts collapse
Harold Smith cam on our YouTube page today, commenting on our video Inside the Movement as follows: I spent 20 years in law enforcement, and…
Spring in the Sky Castle
I do my best to see the bright side of life and everything in it, take winter for instance, the cold temps means there are…
- Energy ·
Utility companies are toast
Latest episode of Off-Grid News focuses on the death of the Utility company business model as more people go off-grid.
Nova Scotia bans new off-grid homes
Dear Off-Grid, I live on the south shore of Nova Scotia and I want to build a tiny, off-grid homestead. So far, it is proving…
Lost Faith in the System
Joachim Hagopian voices the feelings of millions of Americans The forsaken American population finds itself more in poverty (46.2 million people) as well as more…
Tiny home in Hawaii
I think we can all appreciate Johnny Sanphillippo’s situation, he worked hard at a job he loved that unfortunately didn’t net him a large salary,…
- People ·
Online privacy – talks series
A californian hacker is touring the world giving advice on how to protect your own privacy. This summer Abhay Agarwal is hosting dozens of conversations…