This is a thorough walkthrough of a grid-tied solar install. If you’re planning to go off-grid, the setup would actually be much simpler… and you can skip the $25/month ‘fees’ he mentioned, which will only keep rising over time. You could also build it in a scalable way, starting with smaller and more affordable inverters, solar arrays, and batteries that you can expand as your budget allows. Many places in Tennessee don’t require permits (especially not $2,000 ones) for sheds, and stand-alone solar installs that aren’t grid-tied often don’t require inspections either. (That said, you’ll want to confirm the inspection and permit rules for your specific county.)