[Myrddin]

The only reason I could justify investment in some kind of "off grid" alternative is if I was sincerely concerned that the "grid" was going away. If that was the case, I would go with a mix of solar and wind. We have LOTS of wind in southeast Idaho. Enough to justify a hillside of wind turbines just east of Idaho Falls. The solar PV discussed in this article would be interesting with the appropriate battery/inverter setup.

Pocatello just successfully attracted the construction of a new manufacturer of polysilicon materials to support their photo voltaic operations. The company is Hoku. The factory is under construction now.

[Robert A Cook PE]

I’ve successfully left Pocatello and Idaho Falls many years ago. Good luck. 8<)

[Kellis91789]

[The only reason I could justify investment in some kind of “off grid” alternative is if I was sincerely concerned that the “grid” was going away.]

Or ... if you really wanted to live a little further off the beaten path. Get a mile away from existing power lines and see how much the utility company wants to charge you to run power to your property.

As solar PV systems come down in price, it will allow people to spread out more without waiting for the grid to expand. For people like me that don’t want to live in tract housing, cheaper PV is key.