When a homesteader talks about the power we are not necessarily talking about hooking up to city power. In fact, some would say doing so goes against the homesteading mentality. You must know ahead of time if it is legal in your area to disconnect from any city services. Remember just because it is hooked up doesn’t mean you have to use it.

 

When we talk about power in a homestead arena we could be talking about any power or fuel that you need to do your work. This could be wood for a wood heat or cook stove. It could be diesel for your tractor. It could be solar power to charge your drill with. Remember you have to have a chainsaw and fuel to cut a tree. Or a hand saw that will accomplish the task. You have to have an ax to chop up the wood so it will fit on your stove.

 

Look at the links below as they take you to information on creating power on a homestead. This can be important if you need to use power to charge batteries or have lights at night. It is not necessary for power to be electricity. You may think of any form of fire or heat as power. That way you will not need to have electricity for those things. You may be able to store power and generate power as needed for only the tools that require electricity to work. If you use limited electric for only necessary things then a good source may be a gas or diesel powered generator. Biodiesel is viable as a fuel for many engines, and you can make it yourself.

 

There are limitations to power generation on a homestead. Regulations for wind power are sometimes restrictive. There are height and placement limitations, or they may just be unlawful to build or use. If you are generating your own electricity with an engine that burns fossil fuel you may have regulations about noise and pollution to address. All of these regulations in conflict with off-grid and homesteading must be addressed before you plan or build anything. Obtain necessary permits, obey restrictions, and be kind to your neighbors, if you have any. 

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