Energy Independence Company

IDLEYLD PARK — Many people flip on a light, turn on the television or crank up the heat without a second thought until the monthly bill arrives. For Al and Trudy Walker, electric bills are a thing of the past, but they have had to sacrifice some comfort to be their own power company.

In 1994, the couple moved from Portland, built a home on secluded land and put up solar panels to power an off-the-grid lifestyle.

“It's just another way of living,” Trudy said.

“I don't know if it's harder. It's just different,” Al added. “There's more physical work. You have to like some physical work.”

The Walkers are part of a growing population of Americans who are opting to give up convenience to shrink their carbon footprints and be closer to nature.

According to Nick Rosen, author of “Off the Grid: Inside the Movement for More Space, Less Government and True Independence in Modern America,” there are 750,000 U.S. households not hooked up to power lines, a number that he estimates is growing by 10 to 15 percent a year.

The Walkers didn't intend to unplug from the grid when they purchased their 20 acres off Highway 138 in 1991, but bringing power lines to the property would have cost more than $25,000.

With the land came the original Idleyld Park Post Office built in 1905. The couple moved into the old post office in 1994, while they built their dream home and installed solar panels.

“We lived without electricity for several months,” Trudy said. “It was kind of like camping.”

Today, the old post office functions as the headquarters for Al's company, Energy Independence, which develops solar electric and solar hot-water projects.

Al said he decided to start the company in 2002 after a month of bed rest because of a detached retina.

“As I was lying there, I thought, ‘What would I like to do that I haven't done already?' ” he said.

Prior to Energy Independence, Al was a mental health and worker's compensation counselor. Trudy recently retired from nursing.

In 2000, the Walkers finished construction of their off-grid log home and installed a low-flush toilet, washing machine and a propane stove and refrigerator. They also have a low-watt television for their Netflix subscription.

The 1,800-square foot home was built with timber from their property and from around Lemolo Lake.

Wanting to be self-sufficient, the Walkers built most of the house themselves, relying on winches, booms and pulleys to raise the logs.

“I can tell you where the blood marks are in this house,” Trudy said, laughing.

They designed the house with as few walls as possible and so that everything they need is on the first floor. “It's pretty simple, but it's perfect for us,” Trudy said.

A 1.7 kW solar panel that moves with the sun charges an eight-battery, 24-volt system and provides power to the office and house. Al estimates he saves $150 to $200 a month on electricity.

For water, they use a spring, Al said. The water is pumped to two tanks — a 500-gallon tank for drinking water and a 1,200-gallon tank for irrigation.

A wood-water stove heats the house by pumping hot water though pipes set beneath the concrete flooring.

“You have to think about things you really want when you're designing a house like this,” Trudy said. “You really have to pick your priorities.”

During the summer, they dry their laundry outside. “Oh, they smell wonderful,” Trudy said. “Especially the sheets.” In the winter, they hang the clothing on a spiral staircase that winds up to the loft.

Since they don't have a dishwasher, the couple have worked out a system to complete nightly clean-up.

“She fixes dinner, then I do the dishes while she reads me a story,” Al said.

Life off the grid may seem daunting, but the Walkers say it's not necessarily harder than being hooked to the power grid.

“What's interesting is when there is a power outage in the area, and I realize everybody's lights are out except mine,” Trudy said.

After more than a decade of living off the grid, the Walkers don't want to imagine living any other way.

“We've always had a dream of having a house like this, even before we met each other,” Trudy said. “We plan on staying here until we pass on to the next life.”

• You can reach reporter Anne Creighton at 957-4211 or by e-mail at acreighton@nrtoday.com.