Peter's Story - OFFGRID NOW® on a Bush Block in Howard, QLD.
Peter’s OFFGRID NOW® Forza Cabinet is powering the next stage of his life.
It’s a clear autumn afternoon as Mark drives out to the Wide Bay region of Queensland, where Peter warmly welcomes him onto the property. They stand in the yard among grazing sheep and a line of solar panels, talking about the off-grid system Peter has set up. The conversation unfolds naturally — two people discussing why reliable power matters and how the system in Peter’s paddock has changed things for the passions and hobbies he continues to pursue.
Peter lives in the Wide Bay area and runs a setup that’s practical and straightforward. As Mark puts it, he’s a “retired handyman”, with a 19-by-8-metre shed complex, a workshop built from three shipping containers, and a small butcher and cold room he’s been working on. He’s a straightforward Aussie who enjoys tinkering around the farm, quietly building a life around the things he enjoys.
His entire hobby space — the sheds, workshop and butcher shop — runs off-grid. His house remains connected to the grid, but it can be powered from the battery system if he decides to switch over later down the track.
Peter’s interest in off-grid living didn’t happen overnight.
“I’ve been looking at OFFGRID NOW® for a long time,” he said. “I only had a very simple solar system — just a couple of panels and a couple of batteries. I ran my fridge. I was just so amazed at this solar system. I could walk into the hut I built, flick the light switch and the lights would come on. It ran my fridge, it ran my lights, it ran everything I needed. It was just a very simple system — more than enough for me.”
That simple setup showed him what was possible. Over time, his plans grew. He needed refrigeration capacity for butchering, workshop power for tools, and a reliable, separate supply of electricity so his hobby spaces wouldn’t rely on the main house.
He began collecting second-hand panels and welding together his own stands, planning a larger system using salvaged parts. The team at OFFGRID NOW® helped him rethink that plan into something cleaner and more efficient: a brand-new solar array eligible for a government rebate, with panels much larger and more productive than the ones he had stored by the shed.
“The panels are probably three times the size of the ones I had stored,” Peter said.
With the rebate and modern technology, the upgrade became a sensible investment rather than an indulgence.
At the centre of Peter’s system is an OFFGRID NOW® Forza 16 power cabinet paired with a 16 kW ground-mounted solar array out in the paddock. He currently has 30 kWh of battery capacity installed, with space in the cabinet to expand to 60 kWh when he’s ready.
Peter’s OFFGRID NOW® Forza 16 power cabinet is paired with a 16 kW ground-mounted solar array out in the paddock.
“I’ve got some more headroom in my cabinet to expand my batteries to double up,” Peter explained.
The setup gives him reliable daily power and a clear upgrade path that fits both his pace and his budget.
Peter keeps a generator on hand, but he’s confident in the system’s performance.
“It’s producing, mate — even on cloudy days,” he said with a grin. “I actually should look at this on a moonlight night. I reckon she’d be firing, putting something in.”
Mark and Peter share a laugh. For Peter, the generator is more of an insurance policy than a necessity. Mark points out one of the system’s strengths: it can accept generator backup or be tied into the grid later if Peter chooses to power the house from the battery bank. That flexibility allows him to balance independence with convenience as his needs change.
The butcher shop itself is an exciting project still taking shape. Peter hasn’t butchered any of his own animals yet.
“I haven’t gotten any old enough just yet. You need to let them get a bit of age on them,” he said.
But the space is being designed around the battery system so that when the time comes, refrigeration and processing will be reliable. Foraging, sourcing locally, and slowly building a small business are all practical ambitions that rely on dependable power — something the solar array and battery bank now provide.
Peter also talks about future lifestyle options the system opens up. One day he could live closer to the sheds and rent out the main house, since the areas already have separate meters and their own water tanks. With independent power already running at the sheds, the setup gives him the freedom to turn his hobbies into something more without affecting the main residence.
“As the wiring goes in, more and more things get used,” Peter says. “It’s just a matter of plumbing it all up.”
What stands out to Mark is how grounded Peter’s reasons are. This isn’t about chasing technology — it’s about making work and life simpler, and supporting the practical lifestyle Peter has been building for years.
The OFFGRID NOW® Forza cabinet suits that approach. It’s modular, robust, and designed so Peter can scale the system when it suits him. Refrigeration runs consistently, pumps draw water without fuss, and power tools can be used without worrying about consumption.
Just as importantly, the system makes financial sense. OFFGRID NOW® helped Peter access available rebates and choose components sized to match his real needs, turning what could have been a patchwork setup into a reliable long-term system.
A simple shed provides protection from the elements.
For Peter, going off-grid means more control, less worry, and the ability to grow his projects slowly and confidently. The system in the paddock has become an enabler rather than an obstacle.
For this retired handyman building a butcher shop and pursuing his hobbies in the sheds, the Forza system — along with the advice from OFFGRID NOW® — has made the investment feel smart, manageable and worthwhile.
The cabinet sitting out in the paddock isn’t just hardware. It’s the foundation for the life Peter is still building — on his terms, and at his own pace.
Peter’s Bush Block Off Grid Solar System Specifications
OFFGRID NOW® Forza 16.30
Includes DEYE 16kW inverter and a 30.76kWh battery
Ground mounted 16kW Solar Panel Array (32 x 500W solar panels)
Appliance List
Workshop - welders, compressors etc.
Butcher’s shop
Coldroom
