Stand-alone power systems (SAPS) fact sheet

A ‘Stand-Alone Power System' is worth considering if your home is not connected to the electricity network.

Stand-alone power systems let you meet your energy needs without having to meet the high costs of connecting your property to the electricity grid. They are common in rural or remote areas where electricity network connection is expensive or not possible.

The systems generate electricity from a combination of sources - such as solar, wind, or hydro - which is stored in a battery bank. Back-up generators are sometimes used to meet energy needs if required. Connecting a property to the local electricity network can be expensive, particularly in rural or remote locations - up to $25,000 per kilometre.

Against this level of investment, stand-alone power systems can be a viable option for homes, communications stations, farms or lodges in more isolated areas as an alternative to connecting to the electricity network.

A stand-alone system provides autonomy from the local network. So if there is a power failure, a household or business with a stand-alone system will still have electricity.

However it also requires careful management of electricity use, which may mean limiting the number of appliances used at any one time. In some stand-alone systems this is done automatically by smart inverters/controllers.