More Americans are choosing to live off-grid, according to a report from StudyFind.org. The study found that 12 percent of American households will be off-grid by 2035. This is just slightly ahead of Europe, where it’s predicted the number will reach 11 percent. 

The rise in people living off-grid is attributed to an increase in distributed energy resources and energy efficiency measures. The result could be a drop in utilities revenues of more than $48 billion in the U.S. and €61 billion euros across Europe by 2025. 

A report from Accenture, a consulting firm, found that executives are particularly concerned about revenue streams, with 61 percent believing that revenue will fall as a result of green technology such as solar PV. This is an increase of 43 percent from the year before. 

“Distribution businesses have had a tough time in recent years with weak demand, which is one reason why grid operators’ profits have been squeezed,” said Stephanie Jamison, a managing director at Accenture who leads its Transmission and Distribution business. 

“The proliferation of DG changes electricity demand profiles, potentially diminishing total demand without necessarily reducing peak demand. Successful DG integration will require substantial investments in new connections and grid reinforcement to modernize the network and sustain the same level of reliability and safety and secure operations.”

Alabama was named the best place to live off-grid, followed by California, Missouri and Alaska. 

Though the switch to off-grid will put pressure on utilities, experts believe it won’t be enough to have a significant impact on the overall economy. It’s believed that only 12 percent of customers will become energy self-sufficient by 2035, compared to 11 percent in Europe. 

“Mass adoption of electric vehicles and the electrification of building heating is poised to alter demand growth and load shape in the longer term,” Jamison said. “This suggests high growth potential for utility distributors, but it will also put pressure on grid stability. The key will be to navigate this disruption by making the grid more resilient through greater use of smart technologies and utilizing all sources of flexibility including on the demand side, adopting a more customer-centric approach.”

Executives are expecting some repercussions from off-grid living, including an increase in grid faults due to low-voltage connected distributed renewable generation. Faults are also expected due to large-scale renewables.