Many people imagine that they need to invest heavily to go fully off-grid with acreage in a place like Queensland. Fortunately, though, it is one of the best states to do it because we have so much local expertise.
Many people are choosing to go off-grid in QLD because they want more control over their lives. They dislike unreliable grid access and having to pay power bills every month to greedy companies and want full energy independence.
What Makes Off-Grid on Acreage Different?
The good news is that off-grid on acreage is possible. The bad news is that you need to have the right infrastructure in place to serve the larger area.
Primarily, you need installations that can deliver on higher energy requirements. Generation equipment must be able to power all your pumps, sheds, workshops, machinery, and other equipment you may have on-site.
Moreover, you need longer cable runs and more complex installation logistics to get everything working in harmony. Powering on acreage requires more prior work to get it up and running to your standards.
Finally, off-grid acreage is different because it forces you to consider energy use planning. You have to think carefully about your requirements and the systems you need to put in place to service them.
What Size System Do You Really Need?
Figuring out what size solar panel system you need on acreage can be challenging. Usually, rural properties consume more than their urban equivalents.
Most properties in nature in Queensland consume around 15 to 25 kWhs per day. However, families use more and sole occupiers less.
A 6.6 kW solar system will usually generate on the order of 24 to 30 kWh of electricity per day in Queensland (due to its higher latitude). That’s usually enough for a family or three or four on acreage, and a couple of sheds.
Going to a 10 kW solar system provides even more power, upward of 40 kWh. That’s enough for a working farmstead, perhaps with an attached small business.
If you want to be more self-sufficient, it pays to use larger solar panel systems. The bigger it is, the more you can do.
Battery Storage & Backup Power
Of course, solar for rural homes isn’t a complete energy solution by themselves. You need to pair them with batteries to get the most out of them.
Batteries come in various sizes, including 10kWh, 15kWh and 20kWh+. The larger you choose, the more days of autonomy you get, and the more equipment you can run in the evenings.
Usually, a 10kWh pack will give you around 1 day of leeway. It’s good if you want to cover cloudy days, but perhaps not enough for reliable off-grid electricity over winter.
20kWh battery packs will double your autonomy to two days or more. These are less likely to run flat, even during extended periods of use of unfavourable weather.
The largest batteries offer the most security, perhaps up to a week of autonomous usage. However, we think it still makes sense to bring a backup generator on-site. These are useful for high-demand periods or prolonged cloudy weather when solar panels can’t generate the power you need.
How Integrity Solar Designs Off-Grid Systems
Integrity Solar helps you get around all the issues you might face when going off-grid with acreage. We reduce risks and enhance your results.
First, we have plenty of local experience with off grid solar in Gympie. This means that we know what types of solar panel installations are sufficient for your requirements.
We can also provide on-site assessments. These go into detail about what you actually, and what your budget should be depending on your reliability requirements.
Customised battery and inverter packages are included in this. We do all the wiring work for you, so you don’t need to think about it once your system is up and running. All the parts work together in a seamless whole.
Finally, we offer support and servicing after installation. If there’s anything else you need to do, our team is on standby to assist.
Conclusion
The benefits of going off-grid with acreage are substantial. You’re no longer beholden to power providers who might want to put up bills, or blackouts. Instead, you can generate all the electricity you need locally.
If you think a setup like this sounds good, get in contact with Integrity Solar Australia for a quote or arrange an on-site inspection.