Solar & Off-Grid Power: Energy Independence for Your Tiny Home
Going off-grid is one of the most compelling reasons to build tiny. A small home needs surprisingly little power, making solar a realistic primary energy source.
Sizing Your System
Step 1: Calculate Daily Energy Use
Track everything in watt-hours (Wh) per day:
| Appliance | Watts | Hours/Day | Wh/Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED lights (8 bulbs) | 80 | 5 | 400 |
| Refrigerator | 150 | 8 (cycling) | 1,200 |
| Laptop | 60 | 6 | 360 |
| Phone charging | 15 | 3 | 45 |
| Water pump | 60 | 0.5 | 30 |
| Fan/ventilation | 40 | 8 | 320 |
| Misc (router, etc.) | 30 | 24 | 720 |