The books begin the energy chapter with an energy audit. Before buying panels or batteries, identify what the household actually uses.
Step 1: Make an energy audit
List every electrical device. For each one, record its power consumption in watts and the average hours of use per day. Multiply watts by hours to calculate watt-hours per day, then add the devices together.
The book gives examples such as LED lighting, a refrigerator, laptop, phone charging and a water pump. It describes a modest off-grid home as commonly using roughly 1,500 to 3,000 watt-hours per day, while warning that careless energy use can push consumption higher.
Step 2: Reduce unnecessary demand
The goal is not simply to build a larger system. It is to understand and control the loads. An energy audit shows where power is going and gives you a basis for system planning.
Solar power
The book presents solar as a major option for off-grid homes. Solar planning is tied to the actual daily load rather than an arbitrary panel count.
Wind and micro-hydro
Wind and micro-hydro are also discussed as alternative or complementary generation methods. Their usefulness depends on the site and available resource, so they should be evaluated as part of the property plan.
Generator use
The chapter also includes generator use as another component of an off-grid energy strategy. A generator can be part of a system rather than the only source of power.
Practical planning worksheet
Write:
- Device.
- Watts.
- Hours per day.
- Watt-hours per day.
- Total daily watt-hours.
Then separate essential loads from optional ones. This makes it easier to see which appliances are driving system size.
The books' core lesson is that power planning begins with lifestyle and usage. Generation equipment comes after the energy audit, not before it.