Edit Article

wikiHow to Make Your Own Electricity

Five Parts:Going SolarUsing Alternative SystemsGetting the Right StuffPreparing for the WorstUsing and Choosing BatteriesCommunity Q&A

As a part of the push for energy independence, generating your own electricity is one of the best things you can do. Even with a little generated electricity, you can charge your mobile phone or computer, run TV and all media connections, put high efficiency lights anywhere. With a substantial system you can sell power back to the grid and cut your electric bill, charge a car, or even live completely off the power grid. Read on for some great ideas on how to accomplish this.

Part 1
Going Solar

  1. 1
    • In general, panels should have south facing direct exposure to the sun (north-facing in southern hemisphere, up-facing near equator). The angle measured from a spirit level should be your latitude (You can look that up in Google maps.) In overcast conditions you will only get a fraction (10-15%) of electricity as to sunshine.
    • Fixed mounts can be built onto their own structure (which may house batteries and charge controller beneath) or placed on an existing roof. They are easy to mount and to maintain if near the ground, and have no moving parts. Tracking mounts follow the sun and add efficiency(+50%) and longer battery life. These are mechanical contraptions that have a risk being damaged by high winds and have moving parts to eventually wear out. Since the early 2010s it can by less expensive simply adding a couple more panels to east and west to get the same harvest.
    • Just because a solar panel is rated at 100 watts doesn't mean it will deliver that much on a regular basis, on contrary, higher temperature and any angle the sun not being 90 degrees over the panels will conspire to give less electricity (calculate with 70% of rated performance to be safe)
  2. 2
  3. 3
    Learn to maintain your system. Like anything else, if you don't take care of it, it will fall apart. Saving a little money now can cost you much more later. Invest in taking care of your system, and it will take care of you.
  4. 4
    Decide on your system type. If you have the choice, consider whether you want a stand-alone power solution or a grid-connected system. A stand alone power system is the ultimate in sustainability; you will know the source of every watt you use. A grid-connected solution gives you stability and redundancy, and can also provide an opportunity to sell power back to the utility company. If you are grid-connected, but manage your power usage as if you were stand-alone, you can even generate a little extra income, but be aware of political risks of cuts to these subsidies.

Part 2
Using Alternative Systems

  1. 1
    Learn about wind turbines. These are solutions in many locations especially in very overcast and windy climates. There it can be more cost-effective than solar power.
    • You can use a DIY wind turbine made from an old car alternator, with plans available on the net. This is not recommended for beginners but can achieve suitable results. There are also fairly inexpensive commercial solutions. One option, a ghost wind turbine, is made of clear plastic which makes it less conspicuous.
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
    Consider a fossil fuel (petrol/diesel/gas) generator. If there is no grid, or you want disaster/blackout backup or you run workshop machinery, a generator may be required.
    • Many generators are very slow to react to load changes,which make them unusable for washing machines (switching on a power-hungry device an cause the power to falter).
      • Small, commonly available generators at your hardware store are made for occasional emergency use. They will quickly fail if used for daily power.
    • Cogeneration or Combined Heat and Power systems (CHP) produce power and heat simultaneously. This is only good for you if you have use for that heat, even in summer.

Part 3
Getting the Right Stuff

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
    Get qualified help. Not every contractor or handyman is equally qualified to install these systems. Only work with experienced vendors and installation specialists who are licensed to work with your given equipment.

Part 4
Preparing for the Worst

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
    • Using a grid-connected system is the least expensive solution for most people, especially those who are already power customers, but energy companies do pollute the planet considerably. If forced, they install one sort of power (such as solar), and tie the package to the grid. When there isn't enough power coming in, the grid makes up the shortfalls, and when there is excess power, the grid buys it. Oversized systems can consistently run the power meter backwards.
    • If there is no power service nearby, it can be much more expensive to get connected to the grid (or even to connect an outbuilding to the house) than to make and store your own power, this is even more true from the mid 2010s on.
  4. 4
    Learn about storing energy. A common solution for self-contained power storage is lead-acid deep cycle batteries. Each type of battery needs a bit different kind of charge cycle, so make sure your charge controller handles your type of battery, and is configured correctly for it.

Part 5
Using and Choosing Batteries

  1. 1
    Get the same type of battery. In older constructions, batteries can not be mixed and matched, and generally new batteries of the same type will not do well when mixed with older batteries. To mix batteries you need advice from university educated engineer.
  2. 2
  3. 3
    Choose your battery type. There are many different kinds of batteries and it is important for you to choose which is best for you. Understanding what will work is not easy. Find a company which can prove it has been running a battery stack for longer than 5 better 10 years. Guesswork or sales pitch will give poor results
  4. 4
  5. 5

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • How do solar panels works?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Solar panels work by gathering solar rays from the sun. These rays are then converted into electricity by silicons and photons.
Unanswered Questions
Show more unanswered questions
Ask a Question
200 characters left



    • Immediate necessity (no utilities)?
    • Peace of mind?
    • Not having wires through your property?
    • Bragging rights?


    • Shorted or unvented batteries can cause an explosion.
    • Splashed battery acid can cause severe burns and blindness
      • A human body's ohm level will prevent harm on bare flesh at 12-24 volts regardless of amperes. YET any metal will create a dead short and cause destructive damage. No jewelry at all as noted above, also use tools with care, just like changing a car battery remove the ground line first and connect last. (black negative for most cars)

Things You'll Need

  • Inverter
  • Charge Controller
  • Deep Cycle Batteries
  • Power Source(s)
    • Solar (Photovoltaic) Panels
    • Wind Generator
    • Micro-Hydro Generator
    • Motor

Article Info

Featured Article

Categories: Featured Articles | Renewable Energy

In other languages:

Español: generar energía eléctrica, Deutsch: Eigenen Strom herstellen, Nederlands: Je eigen stroom opwekken, Italiano: Generare la Propria Elettricità, Português: Gerar Sua Própria Eletricidade, Русский: выработать электричество самостоятельно, Français: produire votre propre électricité, Bahasa Indonesia: Membuat Listrik Sendiri, Čeština: Jak si vyrobit vlastní elektřinu

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,132,151 times.

Did this article help you?