Privacy Policy
Off Grid Authority is an independent, solo-published reference for DIY off-grid power. This page sets out — in plain language — what data we collect, why, who we share it with, and how you control it. No legalese theater: just the facts of how this site runs.
EFFECTIVE 2026-06-05
This policy applies to offgridauthority.com and explains how the site handles information when you read a guide, run a calculator, or submit a form. By using the site you agree to the practices described here.
§1 Who we are
Off Grid Authority is an independent publisher of DIY off-grid solar reference content — written guides, specification references, and a set of free calculators. We are a solo-published reference site, not a company with a sales team or a storefront. There is no parent corporation, no investor, and no third party directing what we publish.
The simplest way to reach a human is through our contact page. We answer questions, accept corrections, and handle any privacy request through that channel.
§2 What we collect
We try to collect as little as possible. There are three sources of data:
Google Analytics 4. We use Google Analytics 4 (property ID G-K9T6JLDB4E) to understand which guides and tools people find useful. Analytics sets cookies and records anonymized usage data — pages viewed, approximate region, device type, and how you arrived. We have configured the property so that we do not see your full IP address or anything that identifies you personally. This data is processed by Google; see the Google Privacy Policy. You can prevent Google Analytics from running entirely by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Server logs. Like nearly every website, our web server keeps short-lived access logs. These can include your IP address, browser user agent, the page requested, and a timestamp. We use logs only to keep the site secure and running — diagnosing errors, blocking abuse, and understanding traffic spikes. Logs are retained briefly for security and operations, then rotated out.
Email addresses you choose to give us. If you voluntarily submit your email through a newsletter signup or a spec-sheet / calculator results form, we store that address on our own server. We use it only to send the content or newsletter you asked for. We never sell, rent, or trade email addresses. You can unsubscribe at any time — just ask through the contact page and we will remove you.
§3 Advertising
Off Grid Authority participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and we may display advertising through Google AdSense. Advertising helps keep every guide and calculator free to read.
Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this site and other sites across the web. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on those visits.
You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. For more on how Google uses information from sites that use its services, see policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites. You can also opt out of third-party vendor cookies for personalized advertising at aboutads.info/choices.
§4 Affiliate links
Some links on this site are affiliate links: if you buy a product after clicking one, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships never determine which products we recommend — that is covered in full on our affiliate disclosure page.
As required by the Amazon program operating agreement, we state plainly:
As an Amazon Associate, Off Grid Authority earns from qualifying purchases.
§5 Cookies, at a glance
Cookies are small files a site stores in your browser. Here is everything that may set one on this site, what it is for, and how to control it:
| Source | Purpose | How to control it |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 (_ga, _ga_*) |
Anonymized, aggregate usage measurement — which pages and tools get used. | Install the GA opt-out add-on, or block cookies in your browser. |
| Google AdSense & ad partners | Serve and frequency-cap advertising; measure ad performance. | Adjust Google Ads Settings or opt out at aboutads.info/choices. |
| Amazon affiliate | Attribute a qualifying purchase to a link you clicked here. | Clear cookies, or browse Amazon in a private window. |
| This site (functional) | Remember harmless preferences, such as a calculator input or a dismissed notice. | Clear site data in your browser settings at any time. |
Most browsers let you refuse or delete cookies through their settings. Blocking analytics and advertising cookies will not break the guides or the calculators.
§6 Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights over your personal data under laws such as the EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). These commonly include:
- Access — ask what personal data, if any, we hold about you.
- Deletion — ask us to delete your data, such as removing your email from our list.
- Opt-out — we do not sell personal information, so there is nothing to opt out of in that sense; you can still opt out of analytics and personalized ads as described above.
To exercise any of these, send a request through the contact page and tell us what you would like. We will act on legitimate requests promptly.
Do Not Track. Some browsers send a "Do Not Track" (DNT) signal. There is no industry-wide standard for how sites must respond, so we do not change behavior based on the DNT header. The opt-out controls listed in this policy give you direct control instead.
§7 Children
Off Grid Authority is a technical reference for adults planning off-grid power systems. It is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.
§8 Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the site evolves — for example, if we add a new tool or advertising partner. When we do, we revise the effective date at the top and refresh the "last verified" stamp below. Material changes will be reflected here; continued use of the site after an update means you accept the revised policy.
Questions about anything on this page? The fastest answer is through our contact page.