When is Making Your Own Electricity Appropriate?

Generating your own electricity using a renewable energy system might be right for you if at least one of the following is true:

Your site has adequate renewable resources.
A grid connection is not available in your area or can be made only through an expensive power line extension. Depending on the terrain, the cost of running a power line from a remote site to the electricity grid can range from $15,000 to over $50,000 per mile.
You have an interest in gaining energy independence from your power provider (i.e. electric utility).
You are willing to pay extra for power to reduce the environmental impact of your electricity use.
Your power provider has a process in place for connecting your system to the electricity grid and buying any excess power you produce.

Before purchasing a small renewable energy system, you should also consider:

The benefits of connecting your system to the electricity grid versus operating it off-grid, as a stand-alone system.
Potential legal, administrative, and environmental obstacles
Cost and performance information on the system (if cost-effectiveness is important to you, perform a complete economic analysis)
A strategy for meeting your energy needs when renewable resources aren't available (such a strategy might include a battery storage system, a fossil fuel-powered generator, or connecting to the electricity grid)
Possibilities for combining your system with other energy sources, backups, and energy efficiency improvements
Ongoing system maintenance.