Off-Grid Power Systems

Design and Tech Support

If you have a remote home, business, resort, ecovillage or sustainability project that needs primary or backup power I can provide a complete custom design, documentation and equipment package tailored to your exact electrical loads, lifestyle and home or buildings.    At the risk of sounding vain, I am one of the best off-grid power system designers in the business – I’ve been doing it since 1980 – have helped develop the industry – am intimately aware of the latest equipment and have designed and/or installed over 80 off-grid power systems totaling over 260 KWs.  I pride myself in optimizing system design both technically and in balance with your true needs and aesthetics and budget.  I also have extensive experience integrating micro-hydro and wind power with off-grid PV systems.

Can I install the system myself?  Or can my local electrician?

Depending on the size and complexity of the system, I may be willing to travel to install your system for you.  Or, I can work with you or a local electrician providing complete drawings and step-by-step tech support for the installation.  I also provide tech support and system monitoring for the entire lifetime of the system.  Often the local electrician will want to learn solar and I can set him or her up with the tools to provide you service.

Back-up Power Kits for Existing Grid-Tied Systems

I can also provide custom designed design, tech support and equipment packages for transforming grid-tied only systems into systems with backup power.  These systems utilize an off-grid inverter and a small battery bank that empowers your grid-tied system to operate when the grid is down.  Essentially it “tricks” your existing grid-tied system to think it is on the grid – giving you the best of both worlds in high efficiency grid-tied equipment that is activated to power your house even when the grid is down.

Large Systems, Micro-Grids and Mini-Grids

Village Power has been there every step of the way as the off-grid solar industry evolved from small cabin systems to system capable of powering entire islands, villages, campuses and resorts.   Village Power designed and installed one of the first SMA Sunny Island and Sunny Boy Micro-grids in North America and we recently designed a system for an island in the Bahamas with a total of  240 KWs of inverter power.  These mini-grids can incorporate wind, michro-hydro, or fuel-cell power from hydrogen as well as conventional generators.  Village Power can also provide reverse-osmosis water systems and a fully integrated custom power, water and appliance package tailored exactly to your needs.