The satellite image below is where our property is located in northern Ontario. The exciting aspect of building here, besides the regular logistics of finding a good location and a lot that is suitable for building, is to accept the fact that there will be no connection to the hydro grid. The only power on site is power that is captured or generated on the spot. The two streams that flow through the property basically dry up during the summer. This spring we will discover what kind of flow they have during the thaw.
But the other part of the challenge is that you must have a very well-insulated structure that doesn't leak heat. The standard of construction would have to be a super-insulated, airtight building envelope using passive energy capture. For example, maximizing the gathering of solar energy through windows. Using a super-efficient cold air heat pump that can run on the battery system. Possibly combining a wood-burning rocket stove as well.
The thing about using a wood-burning stove or furnace is that the flow of air into the system would disrupt the controlled exchange of air in the dwelling. A conventional wood burning pot belly stove would not be possible. In the winter you can't open a window to let air in to feed the fire.
What is needed is a sort of foyer or mud-room that is protected from the elements, but is not part of the building envelope. The fire would be tended in the mud room and have its air intake basically outside, but the heat from the fire would be captured through the chimney flow and drawn into the system of the rocket heater which would be inside the dwelling. So the heat is radiated into the interior of the dwelling and stored in the material of the rocket heater. The fire could be a wood pellet burner, and there could be an automatic or remotely controlled pellet feeder.
For me, once the battery array is in place, and is big enough to deliver the maximum amount of energy needed at any given time, the only problem is to figure out how to get the battery array charged.
A micro-hydro system may be possible. If rainwater were captured in a tank, then a small turbine could be run to charge the batteries.
If it's windy, a silent wind turbine would deliver electricity to the batteries.
If it's sunny, the solar panels charge the batteries.
Heck, if push comes to shove, a human powered generator can kick into play. Maybe a human powered water pump can fill up the rainwater tank to generate more hydro power.
I think it's possible as long as you're not relying on electricity to do big work. For example, running a washing machine or an electric dryer is out of the question. Baseboard heaters out of the question. A fan in the heat pump would be the maximum. Small water pumps would be okay. A small room fan, no problem. Small and focused lights no problem. Running electronics, no problem.
