Off the Grid homes and buildings create their own power and do not rely on public utility companies.

Some off the grid houses may have public utility lines coming to their buildings mainly for the purpose of selling back excess energy created by their systems to the public utility companies. more information

Residential and Commericial Buildings can exist "Off the Grid" by using:

Solar power

• Active Solar power is generated by using solar panels that can be roof or ground mounted. Solar panels are constantly being improved for their efficiency and durability. The cost has come down dramatically in recent years.
  
  
• Passive solar power can be used together with active solar power, wind power or hydro power to increase energy efficiency in buildings.

Hydro Power
Hydro Power is generated using moving water. Micro hydro, or small-scale hydro, is one of the most environmentally benign energy conversion options available, because unlike large-scale hydro power, it does not attempt to interfere significantly with river flows. There must be a creek or river near by to with either enough volume or gradient to create enough power to store in batteries for power consumption.

Wind Power
Wind Power is one of the most economical forms of alternative energy available today if there is consistent wind flow near the building. If your wind flow fluctuates, wind turbines can still be an excellent addition to a solar system, providing more consistent year-round power.

"Essentially, a wind turbine (or: wind generator**) is an alternator* attached to a propeller*. When the wind blows, the propeller turns and the alternator begins producing electricity. The design details that determine which turbines are best suited for various wind speeds get more involved, but all wind turbines operate in the same manner." --quoted from http://www.absak.com/basic/wind-power.html

Living Off the Grid can provide a feeling of independence as well as knowing you are not supporting nuclear power, mountain top removal for coal mining, drilling for oil, or various other environmentally damaging practices used today to produce conventional power systems. It can also make one more aware of how much excessive power we typically use and teach one how to live with less and still live comfortably.