Every county and town has different laws when it comes to off-grid living. However, off-grid living is becoming increasingly popular as technological developments make it possible to live autonomously from Municipal hook-ups and electricity sources. Sustainability is a movement, and it’s here to stay as more people choose to live a simplified lifestyle and unplug from the city.
There are essentially three aspects of off-grid living: generating your electricity, collecting your water and dealing with waste. Going off the grid requires initial set-up costs that can be expensive. However, the long-term cost benefits are significant, as well as a terrific lifestyle that transcends the initial investment. Initial considerations include finding a block of land with the proper zoning – residential. Next, you may need to secure planning and council permits to approve your off-grid home construction. Next, develop a plan for the essential items you will require for this lifestyle choice. Include food/water, heating/cooling, waste removal, and electricity. Finally, research an affordable solar power implementation solution for your home, including a generator.
Tyalgum, about an hour’s drive northwest of Byron Bay, is one of several northern NSW and Victoria towns looking to become ‘zero emissions’. It’s the first town in Australia to voluntarily disconnect from the electricity grid. So the community of 120 homes and more than 250 people could be the first actually to achieve it. Yackandandah in Victoria aims to go completely off-grid by 2022 with the wholesale take-up of solar energy and the support and interest of the local grid provider and the state government. If these small towns achieve their goals, they could provide a blueprint for others to follow. Other towns looking to become ‘zero emissions’ are Byron Bay, Mullumbimby, Lismore, Uralla.
Living off the grid in Australia is a choice that many people genuinely love. This lifestyle creates a true sense of freedom and liberation unlike anything else in the world. Call our sales agents now to find out about homes and land suitable for sustainable housing.
