[kelnos]

> The only reason most people need to still be connected to the grid are low solar days and peak usage that the panels alone can't supply.

Your use of "only" is doing a lot of work there. It is absolutely essential that something serves electricity during those "only" times, and in many cases a power grid with centralized production is the only thing that can do that.

I live in California, and I could easily meet my year-long needs with a 5kW PV panel install and a couple storage batteries, and live completely off the grid. I don't think I'd do that, as it'd be pretty expensive to set up (with break-even period at ~15 years, after which the batteries would probably need to be replaced), and I'd want the grid as backup. But much of the US just can't do that, especially in the winter when they don't get much sun and their heating needs (even with the most efficient heat pumps, with a backup for the few coldest days during the year when the heat pump just won't cut it) would easily outstrip solar production and battery storage.

The idea that most or even many people could live off the grid economically, with current technology, is just complete fantasy. And I don't think anything is going to change dramatically enough in the next 10 years to change that.