On the grid 

What’s the true value of reliable electricity?

Editor’s note: Kentucky Living’s articles about the electric grid and the value of your co-op’s electric service being available around the clock struck a chord with readers. Your electric bill doesn’t just reflect the kilowatts your home uses when you turn on the lights or plug in an appliance; it helps ensure the entire grid—the poles, wires, transformers and the crews who maintain them—stands ready to deliver power whenever you need it, day or night. You’re not just paying for electricity; you and your fellow co-op members are investing in a reliable service that powers your life, even when the lights are off. 

One of the many letters to the editor we received about our coverage of reliable electricity and energy sources came from Katie Riley, who explained what her family learned when trying to live off the grid. We reached out to learn more about their story. 

KATIE AND TIMOTHY RILEY graduated from University of the Cumberlands in 2010 determined to farm and pursue energy independence for their family. Their commitment to living off the grid was so strong that they tried it twice, making it work for several years. 

Buying 31 acres in Elliott County in 2013, they were inspired by a magazine article to include solar power in their plans. With limited resources, the young couple with two small children and a third on the way chose to start small. 

“We moved out there in a tent, and within a few months we built a 16-by-10-foot shed, so we spent our first winter living in it with a newborn,” Katie recalls. “We wanted to be completely self-sufficient, so we didn’t want to add easements for utilities.” 

That spring, they drilled a water well and bought a pair of 24-watt marine batteries and their first solar panel, which powered two small lights.

“We got a wood stove so we could stop cooking everything on an open fire,” says Tim. 

New job opportunities in 2018 brought them back to Williamsburg where they rented a relatively new house in town. 

“It was like staying in a hotel. Our older kids couldn’t believe that when you turned on the tap, hot water came out,” Katie says. 

But they still wanted to farm, so they rented a few acres in Whitley County and built a small house they never connected to utilities. “It was like camping, or 19th century homesteading, in the 21st century,” Tim says. “If it wasn’t for our relationship with God, I don’t think our marriage would have survived living without electricity.” 

Power from two 45-watt panels on their roof pumped water from their well, and three marine batteries charged during the day provided energy for small appliances and some lighting. They also used propane to run their stove and refrigerator. 

But issues—including frequent solar equipment breakdowns and the overall costs of supplemental propane or generator fuel—were vexing challenges. After five years, they bought a farm near Liberty and joined South Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative in 2020. They currently farm 61 acres and live in an 1,800- square-foot, grid-connected home. 

“Running a full-sized house with solar isn’t cheap if you’re constantly having to upgrade and replace batteries and panels,” says Katie. “We’ve never spent more than $85 a month for co-op electricity. When my kids come in wet and dirty, they can bathe and I can wash without worrying about it. When I want to charge my cellphone, I can just do it.” 

The Rileys appreciate their South Kentucky RECC membership and electric reliability from their co-op connection. 

“Salesmen and politicians can make green energy sound great, and even though the technology is improving, it often falls short,” says Katie. 

Tim agrees: “You can have wind, or solar, but for now, safety and dependability here in Kentucky still relies on coal [generation]. Most people really wouldn’t enjoy living like we used to.” 

Going off grid: Know what you’re getting into 

Most consumers are not engineers, and independent solar consultants who work directly for homeowners are rare. Even the best sales pitches can leave potential buyers with more questions than answers.  

As renewable energy technology, including solar generation, continues to evolve, and consumers buy and install products and components, differences in performance, reliability and durability can affect both quality and long-term costs. 

According to Keith Dennis, CEO of the Beneficial Electrification League, a nonprofit that promotes beneficial electrification of the economy, consumers who choose to live without connections to an electric utility should know what they are getting into.  

“Any sales pitch for ‘free electricity,’ is probably too good to be true,” says Dennis. “A grid connection provides value to the consumer, and if you think you’re going to get that without paying anything, you really want to make sure you are getting accurate information.”  

While solar panel output and available energy storage may meet regular needs consistently, changes in usage—such as when visitors are in the home or during extended extreme weather—can cause shortages.   

“Unless you are really remote, the costs of cutting your connection to the grid are likely to be more than maintaining a connection,” says Dennis. “Green power is evolving, and like every type of technology, as products are redesigned or improved, new versions often perform better than older components.”  

Utility providers constantly improve and upgrade their systems, but most consumers replace major investments only when they no longer meet their needs.  

Dennis suggests that consumers committed to living off grid insulate their homes to maximize the benefits of their power generation. He also recommends investments in energy storage, and enough generation capacity to keep batteries fully charged under taxing operating conditions.  

BEL has developed a Beneficial Electrification Toolkit, updated frequently to include major policy changes and updates on emerging technologies.  

“There’s still a lot of turnover in the ‘green building market,’” says Dennis, adding that consumers should be aware of any safety issues they might face as components age or fail, and need to be replaced. “That’s particularly true as more manufacturers and vendors add or remove products from their inventories.”  

Beyond a constant awareness of overall energy use, consumers who choose residential solar or any form of renewable energy can benefit from tracking seasonal and long-term performance of their systems.  

“People who try this are risk takers, but they have to be prepared to adapt when unexpected challenges occur,” says Dennis. “Whether your goals are controlling costs or reducing your overall environmental impact, you want to make sure performance achieves expected results. 

Building smart and being prepared 

Near the Woodford-Franklin county line, Matt and Rebekah Smither farm about 10 acres, raising chickens, goats and a few hogs near their 2,800 square-foot home, completed in 2020.   

“We custom-built our home for energy efficiency. It’s well insulated and designed for rooftop solar,” says Rebekah. “We added solar the next year, so our energy use is really low.” 

Their 4-kilowatt system currently has 10 panels, and the house has enough southeast-facing roof space to expand rated solar production capacity to 7 kW with additional panels.  

“One of our biggest challenges was finding an experienced contractor with a track record for solar installation because the technology is relatively new,” Rebekah says. “We wanted a system we could expand, and we chose mid-market quality.” Matt considers solar supplemental to their co-op service. 

Their home doesn’t have backup batteries, so when the grid goes out, it loses power.  “We’re looking at adding a backup generator so when we don’t have power, we’ll be able to keep things running,” Matt says. “With battery costs coming down, that may be an option.”  

Around the dinner table, “We talk about gardening and the importance of closing doors to keep the house comfortable,” says Rebekah. “It’s not really about being stingy with energy; it’s about living responsibly.” 

Plenty of planning 

A successful off-the-grid lifestyle requires lots of research, lifetime learning and a willingness to write down instructions to handle unexpected challenges.  

Phil and Barbra-Sue Kowalski embraced the idea, so when they bought 40 acres in Grayson County and moved there in 2023, they were prepared to live in an RV. They later purchased another 28 acres adjacent to their property.  

“I always wanted a cabin in the mountains and knew we’d need to have a sawmill to turn our trees into lumber,” Phil recalls.   

“He’s my ‘MacGyver,’” says Barbra-Sue, crediting Phil’s improvisational skills learned in high school vocational classes and as a National Guard helicopter mechanic for making their “modern homesteading” possible.   

Easement costs, clearing right-of-way and long-term service commitments were issues they considered when weighing the costs of building a solar energy system against a conventional connection. 

“We invested in the system up front, but we don’t have monthly utility bills,” says Barbra-Sue. Sixteen solar panels power their RV and a small shed, and they charge marine batteries to provide power on cloudy days and overnight.  

During shorter winter days, they conserve power for cooking and other essential activities. They also consider energy use before making any changes to the property. 

“She practically has to do a research paper on any changes I make to the farm,” says Phil. With enough capacity and redundancy, they kept the farm running on half-power this summer, while waiting for delivery of replacement components.  

“You need to have backup plans, in case something fails,” Barbra-Sue explains. “This is never going to be easy—it’s a lot of work.” 

The couple chronicles their efforts on Barbra-Sue’s blog, Kowalski Mountain, and in videos they publish on YouTube.  

“We try to offer a little guidance for anyone who wants to try living off the grid,” she says.  

According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, which represents solar equipment manufacturers, vendors and installers, residential solar in Kentucky, relatively rare in 2014, now serves at least 20,000 homes. Quality and consumer education can make a huge difference, according to the association.