Solar
Because lifestyles and power usage vary so widely between individuals, a rural solar electric home can be set up anywhere from $2,500 to $28,000. Most often people will spend between $4,500 AND $15,000 complete. Cost varies with amount of power needed, and also with the average daily sunshine hours for your location and climate. Northern areas with overcast snowy winters need a lot more solar modules and batteries than homes in New Mexico or Arizona , though both may use the same amount of power. The quantity of power you need relates to the number of people in the house more than to the square footage of the house.
Hydro
Micro-hydropower, sometimes called a hydro-electric system, usually is the best choice. It is usually the lowest cost power source for those few sites with the required water resource. If there is a small stream, dropping 20 feet or more in elevation (20 feet of head), across your land, or a larger stream dropping at least 5 feet, water power may be possible. You might generate all the power you need from a micro-hydro turbine for as little as $2,500 complete, or as much as $6,000, plus the cost of the water pipe line. There are Renewable Energy Products dealers and consultants that can help you choose and estimate the cost of the right equipment if you let them know the natural resources available, how many people are in the house, something of the lifestyles, the appliances, whether there is a home business activity, and anything else affecting power usage.
Also, you might take a look at the sample systems we have designed and priced for different price ranges.
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