Living off grid can be comfortable, as homes in a 16-square-mile area of Decorah, Iowa know. Supplementing energy needs using the powers of the Earth, one considers storage before turning on any appliances and electrical devices.
“People ask us how we can live like this. Jeepers, I just come home, turn on the lights, grab a cold beer from the refrigerator and watch the news on TV,” Dale Kittleson, 47, said. “The only difference is when you are making your own energy, you are more aware of the energy you use, adding, “We didn’t come out here wanting to freeze in the dark.”
Kittleson and the others are in tune with the wind, the sun and kilowatt hours. Micro-generation is what is know as living off grid. Michelle Kenyon Brown, executive director of IRENEW, a nonprofit organization in Iowa City that promotes renewable energy says,
“Progress is being made, but there are challenges, including those that want to supplement their energy needs and interconnect (with energy companies). The process is difficult and requires fees and insurance.”
Extensive research and upfront costs are involved for those who want to live entirely off grid, and in Decorah the hot trading commodity is expertise on renewable energy often found in the town square.
Hannah McCarger, 21 and her sister were raised on wind and solar power. After going overseas and coming home, she has an appreciation for what her parents have done. Her father, Steve McCarger has lived off grid since 1982.
“We didn’t want to contribute to the nuclear power industry, global warming or acid rain,” McCarger said of spending $15,000 on his wind and solar systems. “It was never about the money. The kids didn’t even mind. They only threw a few fits about having to get up early to get firewood.”
More off-grid development is planned for the area. Attractive for micro-generation living, with its topography, wooded bluff filled unglaciated area, creating a nature lovers’ dream.
Full Article: DesMoinesRegister