What exactly is "the grid"? The grid, short for "the power grid," is the linked system that supplies electricity to most homes and buildings in developed nations. home that are off the grid are not hooked up to the local power supply. Instead ,they produce all of the grid avoid the environmental and financial costs that come with on-grid living. The key to getting off the grid is replacing electricoty supplied by a power plant with a renewable energy source, like wind or solar power. Buildings that use solar power have solar panels on the roof or near the building. When the sun's light hits the panels,the panels collect the energy.