The wider aspects of being off-grid on the country side

The need for off-grid

When it comes to permaculture design I‘m usually on the „least change for maximum effect“ side. Why should I invest a lot of money into technology which we can hardly recycle (wind mill blades) or doesn’t last long (batteries 3 to 10 years) and then need replacement? The conflicts arising from conflict materials sourced from Africa is another problem.

The question is: why should I do that? For what reason?

Nick Rosen states that the two top reasons for being off-grid are “two save money, and reduce the carbon footprint. Others include survivalists, preparing for the collapse of the oil economy and bringing life back to the countryside” If the state collapses and Finland goes into anarchy the last problem will be your batteries.

To Save money

With raising energy prices, which in February 2022 we can clearly see, it will be at one point easy to save money – it actually already is. It is just a calculation of amortization. Panels last more than 20 years, a biogas system can probably run for even longer. High watt panels (> 380 watt) are hardly available in Finland since March 2022.

Reduce the carbon footprint

Personally I have already lowered my carbon footprint when we bought sustainable energy from a green energy provider back in 2009 and then put the solar panels up some years later. It would be difficult to go lower without heavily investing into wind, more solar and batteries. And the question for me: does the end justify the means? Wind is far better produced at higher altitudes, solar is better with the panels facing south. The battle for Lithium is already at our doorsteps. Every month the tech mags state which company got their hands on which Lithium mine – who secured what. Acid lead last less than LiFe or other Lithium combinations – but is actually easier to recycle. There are many pros and cons and I don’t see how it would save more money or reduce my carbon footprint more.

Let’s take a dive into definitions.

Defining the term off-grid

Wikipedia stats the following:

„Off-the-grid or off-grid is a characteristic of buildings and a lifestyle [1] designed in an independent manner without reliance on one or more public utilities.„

Public utilities are widely defined as water, gas, electricity and telephone. And herein lays the one of the problems with wider definition of off-grid.

Most people talking about off-grid are talking mainly of electricity autonomy – houses which usually come with solar panels, wind mils, solar heating, rocket stoves, hydrogen storage etc. Some of them also talk about water autonomy. Which is about having a well, or using a WET-land system for sewage treatment, etc. Electricity and water autonomy are the two main aspects the usage of the term „off-grid“ is often about. But wait, there is more besides electricity, water and sewage.

The internet and telephone

While there are many solutions for living energy and water autonomous it gets difficult when it comes to the telephone. The public utilities list was defined years back and today with telephone it is not just about calling someone but also about connecting to another grid – the internet.

Many people I know who claim to be off-grid constantly post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc – writing about their off-grid lifestyle. Paradox. Most people forget that the internet and telephone is more or less another grid – no matter if you are connect by fiber optics, 4G or whatever.

Waste

Off-grid also is about waste. If someone claims to be off-grid it also means having their own waste management facility going, for example for recycling plastic. I guess only a minority can recycle packaging like PET, PP at home. I only know one person. The alternatives for private households is to bury or burn it – and that will of course cause problems.

Health care

Being off-grid also means to not use local health services – we have to remember where off-grid came from – remote places, far away from any settlement.

The cheating

When there is no energy in the winter there comes the usage of generators. The bigger the usage the more gasoline gets burned – from hundreds to thousands of liters per year.

It doesn’t matter if someone fires up the generator or imports energy by other means, like charging batteries at the neighbors, or bringing gas bottles home. Energy import is import. Still taking about energy autonomy is then nothing but cheating. When the grid fails it fails everywhere – there is then no import possible. So, don’t cheat.

What about Beyond Buckthorns?

Beyond Buckthorns is my wife's and my homestead in rural Finland.

Electricity

From an electricity perspective we are connected to the grid. We sell the excess energy we produce with our solar panels and buy what we need, especially in winter. It is in accordance with permaculture’s fair share ethic.

Water / Waste water

We have our own well and use rain water but we are also connected to the water grid – which we never use. We already have a composting toilet but its too far away. A new composting toilet is on its way – 2022.

Internet

We have fiber optics internet connection because wireless would mean more and more antennas with more throughput need to be installed around us.

Summing it up

When we check back to the initial definition of off-grid we could call Beyond Buckthorns off-grid as it fulfills one of the criteria necessary. Are we energy autonomous? Of course not. It wouldn't be fair, which in my opinion means to give the excess of energy produced to other people – while in need I get energy from the grid.

Off-grid is more like being a single player in a multi player game. You take care of your own shit but you also don’t interact. From a prepper and survivalist’s point of view I guess this is what they want anyway – be left alone. But from a my point of view it doesn’t make any sens. We are connected with each other, until we are not. Perhaps this is where society is going – everyone for themselves.