Wood heating
Traditionally the most common form of heating for an off-grid house. ... Wood provides a cost-effective heating solution as it requires no electricity to run and can produce very large amounts of heat compared to other heating sources. Positioning of the fire is important and there are various options available to transfer heat to other areas of the house. A good quality fire will burn much more efficiently and enable longer run-times over night without loading in more timber.

Geothermal Hydronic heating
Possibly the ultimate heating source. By extracting heat from the ground using a series of ground loops this option provides the most efficient of all electric heating systems. ... Hot water is then piped through the concrete slab or through radiator panels to heat the house. The key to an efficient hydronic heating system is using the thermal mass of the building, typically the slab, to retain the heat allowing operation of the hydronics during the day from the solar system whilst keeping the house at a constant temperature during the night. This helps control the cost of an off-grid system by minimizing the amount of battery storage needed for the heating. Modern hydronic heat pumps also have the option to run ducted cooling systems.

An air sourced hydronic heat pump
Works on the same principle as a geothermal heat pump, however it draws the heat from the air rather than the ground. ... As the air temperature is more variable and typically much lower that the ground temperature in winter, the air sourced heat pump operates at a lower efficiency. That being said, newer heat pumps are becoming more and more efficient and have a price advantage over the geothermal systems.

Hydronic heating using a wood, chip or gas fed boiler
Unit provides all the benefits of a hydronic system without the use of any significant amount of electricity. ... A good design is key to making these systems work well and we have seen many examples of these systems providing extraordinary results.

Gas heating
A free-standing gas heater can provide a great supplementary heating potion solution. ... While they are generally ineffective at heating large areas, they provide great instant heat and can be an ideal addition to say, a wood heated house for times when the wood heater isn't running etc. Pros: It’s low electricity consumption and high levels of heat output can suit an off-grid solar system. Cons: Cost of bottled LPG gas can make for a high ongoing cost where natural gas is not available.

Electric split system air conditioners.
When used for cooling, they operate extremely efficiently. ... In terms of heating, they have limited use as they are less efficient during cool outside temperatures. As they work on heating the air rather than a thermal mass, the inside temperature drops quickly as soon as the unit is turned off. Split system air conditioners have their place for cooling and small amounts of heating in-between seasons in many off-grid homes