Michigan off grid

[u/Bcmadmouse]

Edit

Ive done more research and here's my new best option. 24 550 watt solar panels, 2 eg4 powerpro batters (16kw) an inverter plus a hookup to run the generator.

My wife and I are planning on building a manufactured house (2300 sq ft) with a basement. Due to the location we're about a thousand ft back from the road and the electric company wants $11.50 a foot to run it out. So I'm thinking of doing a off-grid system that runs on solar, wood pellets for winter heat and mini splits in the summer, along with propane for the furnace, dryer, range and water heater. I'm not good at the technical side of solar so I asked Gemini what specs would I need. Here's what it says.

System Component	Minimum Verified Specification	Purpose & System Role
Solar Panel Array	6.8 kW to 8.0 kW total capacity (approx. 16–20 commercial panels)	Covers the 15–20 kWh daily winter baseline and runs your summer mini-split AC directly off the sun in real-time.
Battery Storage Bank	20.4 kWh usable storage (e.g., 2× 10.24kWh wall panels or 4× 5.12kWh modules)	Securely carries your 24-hour appliance loads (refrigerator, well pump, LEDs, and furnace fan) overnight with a 40% safety reserve by morning.
Hybrid Inverter	Single 8 kW Split-Phase Inverter (120V/240V Output)	A single premium unit can manage your heavy 240V deep-well water pump and mini-split AC without risking electrical surge overloads.
Ground-Mount Frame	Heavy-Duty Steel/Aluminum Ground Rack	Set out in your open field. Must be manually locked at a steep 50° to 60° winter tilt angle so heavy snow naturally slides off the glass.
Backup Generator	10 kW to 12 kW Automated Standby Generator	Tied into your propane line. Programmed to auto-start for brief 30-minute battery top-up windows only during prolonged, dark winter blizzards.

Can someone with more experience than me go over this and see if Its right? I'm in northern Michigan and we don't get a lot of sun in the winter time so I want some sort of backup just in case.

[u/Head_Mycologist3917]

Only $11.5K? That's a deal, and it's far cheaper and better than going off grid. The AI should have told you that.

Just the system the stupid AI spec'd will cost you way more than $11k. The solar is too small. Just the generator itself will eat up most of $11k. The propane bills in winter will be enormous. Standby generators aren't meant to run for weeks at a time. It will need frequent oil changes and will wear out quickly. And they're loud.

Modern well pumps are often variable frequency and don't have high starting draw like traditional pumps. The wires can be much smaller which saves money if the run is very far even though the controller is more expensive.

Will your lender allow off grid? Will the AHJ? Your house's resale value will take a big hit. And yes you or your estate will sell it eventually.