I'm not saying you
should not do what you suggest--go totally off grid.
However, there are some gotchas:
Electricity you make with a good diesel genset will cost you double or triple what your utility charges you. Stated differently, if you pay $300 a month now, just plan on 600 to $1,000 a month to
feed and pay for a diesel generator.
It strikes me that your electricity usage is much higher than average.
In my worst month, I use 6-700 kwHrs.
Tell me about what you run on electricity. Central AC? Heat pump heat? Submersible well pump? Electric baseboard heat? All electric appliances like
water heater,
dryer and stove?
How many
lights are on in your house at one time? What kind of
light bulbs? Big motors? Electric machinery to make a living in a
wood or metal shop?
Your total kilowatt-hours per month will not tell us what size generator you need. We need to know the maximum load (in watts or amps) that you use simultaneously to determine generator size.
Once I know what kinds of things you run on electricity, we could make some estimates on what kind of generator you need.
It is generally true that every dollar you spend on conserving electricity, will save you 2-5 dollars in generating capacity. For example, switching most or all lighting to
LED, and applying the 1 person = 1 light rule. Heating with propane or natural gas rather than anything electric.
