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Health & Fitness

From 'off the grid' to on – just barely

Few ideas in the world of sustainable development carry more romantic weight than “off the grid” – the ability to eschew completely the fossil fuel-dependent infrastructure on which a vast majority of us continue to rely. In most cases, only the most necessary of appliances make the cut: a refrigerator and freezer, a handful of lights, and little else.

For the better part of 50 years, this was Al Jaeger’s life – a life he loved with as much vigor and aplomb as he had the spacious 186-acre Deerfield property from which it unfurled. Between the quaint main quarters and the sturdy studio, the stone walled garden and “community kiln,” Jaeger has sculpted from the hardscrabble land a true testament to living the simple life, and living it well – and all a full half mile from the nearest road.

So when Jaeger, now 71, decided he wanted to add a few basic amenities – heated floors and regular hot water, flush toilet, freezer, and good studio lighting – a major concern was how to do so without compromising the property’s steadfastly Spartan ethos.

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“It had to not be too visible, but also had to be big enough to run the few things I needed it to run,” said Jaeger. “So it was a delicate balance.”

So too was the financial calculus – although given Jaeger’s deep-seated green awareness, it didn’t take long for him to figure it out.

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“It was either invest so much for additional solar equipment, or pay gradually over 10 years to get access to power from the grid, but then have to keep paying for it,” Jaeger says. “When you break it down, the solar just made more sense.”

Around the same time, SEA Solar Store owner Jack Bingham – just a few towns over in Barrington – received an anonymous tip, of sorts, from Michael Greene, a local builder and designer for whom Bingham had recently done work.

“I remember being intrigued by how he was describing the property, and how Al had lived there off the grid for decades,” Bingham recalled. “He mentioned Al was looking to add a small solar system, just to power a few basic things.”

As is his custom Bingham took a trip out to the Jaeger homestead. Right away, he was struck by compound’s “European-like charm,” and the rustic ambiance that permeated its earthy pockets and sturdy structures. The seller-client rapport might have blossomed quickly – seldom had Bingham been tasked with solar-izing such a splendid spread – but that still left the most important question: How?

“Most solar systems that are tied to the electrical grid are based on a simple calculus,” Bingham explained. “But Al was going in the other direction, albeit slightly – he wanted to ratchet up his electricity use just a bit, but not enough to where he’d need to be tied to the grid.”

The result is a veritable hodgepodge of solar practicality: A compact solar domestic hot water system; a small photovoltaic (PV) array; and a brand new generator – all of which run off a delicately calibrated, off-grid battery bank.

“The battery is basically the pivot point for everything else,” Bingham noted. “But it had to be set up just right, so that you can have enough back up power for two or three days at time if you need it, but also have a big enough array to make sure the battery is constantly being charged.”

Thanks to a property lightly carved out of the surrounding hillside – as well as some wild native juniper bushes directly south of the house – Bingham was able to minimize the system’s visual impact.

More importantly, Bingham was able to juggle it all – the myriad moving pieces as well as their attendant contractors and specialists – to find the right balance between form and function.

“The great thing about Jack is that he’s so good at explaining how the system works,” lauded Jaeger. “Especially for something that had so many people involved, that was hugely important.”

With months of warm weather ahead, Jaeger’s bare-bones system will have plenty of time to catch its solar legs, so to speak. More importantly, after decades of near no-impact living, a beacon of “off the grid” can enjoy a few more minor luxuries, all without sacrificing principle.

“I’m happy for him, and I think the system will give him exactly what he’s looking for,” said Bingham. “He definitely deserves it.”

Learn more about SEA Solar Store at www.seasolarstore.com

For more info on Green Alliance, visit www.greenalliance.biz


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