Advantages of Going Solar in South Africa

• Lower Electricity Bills – By installing a solar system, homeowners can generate their own electricity, reducing their dependence on the grid and ultimately their electricity bills.
• Benefits to the Environment – Solar energy is a clean and renewable source of energy, which means it does not emit harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
• Increased Home Value – A home with an installed solar system is considered more valuable and attractive to potential buyers because it can provide a long-term investment that saves money on energy bills.
• Government Incentives – The South African government offers various incentives and rebates to homeowners installing solar systems, making it more financially feasible for many.

Disadvantages of going solar in South Africa

• High initial costs – While the long-term savings can be significant, the initial cost of installing a solar system can be quite high.
• Dependence on sunlight – Although South Africa has plenty of sun, solar panels still use direct sunlight to generate electricity. This means that the energy performance may be lower in cloudy or rainy weather.
• Maintenance Costs – Like any other technology, solar panels require care and maintenance to operate at optimal efficiency.
• Grid-tied Systems – Homeowners who choose to install a grid-tied solar system are still dependent on the grid if their solar system does not produce enough electricity.

Solar System Cost in South Africa

The cost of a solar system in South Africa varies depending on a number of factors including the size of the system, the type of panels used and the installer. Average small solar system can cost from R55,000 to R100,000; while a larger system can cost more than 200,000

Although the initial investment can be significant, it is important to consider the long-term savings that a solar energy system can provide. As electricity prices rise, homeowners can expect to see a return on their investment within a few years and enjoy significant savings over the life of their solar system.

Conclusion

In conclusion, going solar in South Africa can be a smart financial and environmental decision for homeowners. Although there are costs and maintenance involved, the benefits of lower utility bills, higher home value and a smaller carbon footprint make it an attractive option. With the South African government continuing to offer incentives and rebates for solar panels, now is the time to consider going solar.

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1. Is my home suitable for a solar system?

Although solar panels can function in all climates, they might not be suitable for your house roofs due to size, shape, slope or tree cover. Ideally, solar panels work best on a south-facing roof, sloping from 15 to 40 degrees. Considering checking your roof, and analyzing the suitability of your roof for a solar system will be a good first step before installing.

2. Can you install solar panels yourself?

Yes, you can. Even though technically, a solar panel system is complicated, which requires a full energy assessment, analytics, and other solar components in order to generate sunshine to electricity. A DIY solar system for home might save you 10% of the cost, but you would not get the same quality equipment and maintenance that a solar installer can offer to you. This is due to a solar company buying equipment in bulk and have the access to the best solar system brands (Sunsynk, Huawei, SolarMD, Growatt…). Considering this, going solar with an expert in a solar company seems more expensive but will end up saving you more money in the long run.

3. Pros and Cons of installing solar panels yourself

Installing solar panels yourself allow you to save at least 10% on the overall cost of going solar. However, it would require a lot more maintenance that would otherwise be covered by an installer warranty. Furthermore, you will need to do a lot of research, as it would be difficult without the knowledge and experience of a professional installer.

4. Steps to DIY solar panels installation

Still considering going solar on your own? Here are the major steps for you to make a dream solar system for your home:

• Design and size your solar system based on your daily energy demand.
• Purchase the solar equipment and components that are needed.
• These include solar panels, batteries, solar inverters, and racking….
• Install the racking or mounts the solar panels to your house roof.
• Install other equipment which is solar inverters, batteries…
• Apply to connect to your main electrical board, by checking with the local utility company.

Conclusion

Going solar is not only giving you energy independence but also saves you lots of money in the long run. However, to have a hassle-free system that lasts for decades to come, you might consider going solar with a certified solar company. For instance, a DIY solar power system doesn’t come with warranties. A certified solar system from an installer will provide you with warranties that you will have support and coverage in the unlikely event of issues. At Greentech Power Solutions, we provide free energy assessment and solar consultation, for a system that best suits your home and budget. Fill in the form below to get a free call back today!

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Top 5 Reasons for Solar Power Installation

1. Cost savings: South Africa has some of the highest electricity prices in the world, and is expected to continue to rise. Solar power can provide a cost-effective alternative to grid electricity. Homeowners and businesses can save money on their energy bills by generating their own electricity from the sun.
2. Energy security: South Africa’s electricity grid is vulnerable to disruptions and load shedding, which can cause inconvenience and financial losses. Many homeowners and businesses are suffering from unexpected power outages and instability of the grid. By installing solar panels, you can generate your own electricity and protect your home or business from the current load shedding situation. Solar power is a way of having some time off the grid and providing energy security for you.
3. Environmental benefits: Solar power is a clean and renewable source of energy. And generating electricity from the sun produces no greenhouse gas emissions or other pollutants. By switching to solar power, you can reduce your carbon footprint and help mitigate the impact of climate change. Many studies have also found that a home with a solar PV system installed, could save up to 1.6 tons of carbon a year.
4. Increase property value: Installing solar panels can increase the value of your property, as it represents a valuable and sustainable investment in your home or business.
5. Government incentives: The South African government has introduced a range of incentives to encourage the uptake of solar power. This includes tax rebates and subsidies for the installation of solar panels. Hence, by taking advantage of these incentives, you can reduce the upfront cost of installing solar panels, and enjoy a faster return on your investment.

Conclusion

Overall, having a solar power installation in South Africa can provide significant financial, environmental, and social benefits. This makes it a wise and sustainable investment for homeowners and businesses alike. We hope that our list of top 5 reasons to switch to solar power has helped you to see the advantages of having a solar Pv system at your home or office. Interested in finding out more information on solar and want a free consultation? Fill out the form below and our team of experts will get back to you shortly.

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1. Sunsynk

The Sunsynk inverter is the best hybrid in the range, offering all the features of an efficient grid-tie inverter and a powerful battery inverter charger in one unit. This hybrid solar inverter is an affordable alternative to the traditional solar inverter. It is much more configurable, gives lots of control over battery usage, discharge, charge times, etc. and it has a second input/output port as well.

2. Huawei

Solar inverters manufactured by Huawei are made for home solar systems. There are two types of solar inverters produced by Huawei which include the single-phase SUN2000-L1 and the three-phase SUN2000-M1. These solar inverters have taken over the residential market, making Huawei a household name when it comes to solar inverters. In addition to being among the leading solar inverter manufacturers, Huawei also produces solar inverter components, including DC solar switches.

3. Growatt

Growatt inverters meet or exceed these standards, with the CEC approved inverters ranging from 97.2-98.4% efficiency. The Growatt MIN 2500-6000TL-XH for example has up to 98.4% efficiency. This situates Growatt as one of the top inverter manufacturers in the industry for residential inverter efficiency.

4. Victron Energy

For smaller scale and mobile systems (below 6kW PV), the Victron Inverters and chargers are some of the highest quality and best value compared to the many cheaper, low-quality options available.

5. AlphaESS

Alpha ESS has years of experience in the renewable sector and is dedicated to helping families and businesses reduce electricity bills with clean, sustainable power. It is clear that household PV energy storage systems are revolutionizing the industry as a new kind of power solution.

Conclusion

As we said, a solar system is not completed without a good inverter. In a few occasion, one can operate without it. However, to ensure the maximum efficiency of your solar system, a good and reliable inverter is much needed in the design. It gives you much more control over your system by switching back and forth from DC current(solar power) to AC current (electric power) whenever you need to. Contact the Greentech team today for more information on which solar component is best for you and your home/ business; or simply fill in the form below for a free call back.

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1. What is Solar PV?

Solar PV is solar photovoltaics. It is the generation of electricity from the energy of the sun. Nowadays, modern solar panels produce power for your daily use from daylight, and they even work perfectly on a cloudy day without direct sunlight. Solar panels are mounted on the roof of a house or building, converting sunlight into electricity (DC voltage). This DC voltage later on being converted by a device called a solar inverter into AC voltage, which can be used to power appliances and electronic devices in the property.

2. Why the solar system for business is beneficial?

Solar PV panels contain little to no moving parts, which requires very low maintenance of regular cleaning/ dusting. Modern solar panels also have a 25 minimum-year of lifespan. This is a great point on saving money for the long term.

Generating electricity from your own solar system also means that you will be less dependent on utility suppliers, and reduce the monthly energy bill in your home or business. The more energy you produce, the more saving you have. And often, installing a solar system for your home or business will also increase the value of your property, which leads to better financial management with predictable cash flows, than generating power from a utility supplier.

Solar energy is available everywhere and is easy to access. As long as there is sun, you will not be worried about the shortage of power. With all of those positive impacts on the business, the most important thing would be reducing your carbon footprint, which eventually helps your business to meet its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. Installing solar systems is also a great way for businesses to obtain sustainability targets.

Conclusion

Having a solar system for business or your home is not only a great way to save money. This amazing renewable source of energy also helps to increase a business’s environmental and financial stability. Going solar will be a great start for going green and protecting the beautiful world we are in. Contact the Greentech team today for a free consultation and energy assessment.

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Usually it’s quite difficult to comprehend that all your lights, TV and even AC, etc… could be run on backup at your house. A Backup System usually defined and supported by an inverter + battery solution in addition to solar panels. These systems usually look like small containers on your wall with DVD-like or flat boxes… And yes, they are relatively expensive! So then the question about home backup system comes down to: What’s important to you to run on backup during loading ? And for how long?

Things to Consider for Home Backup Power

• What is your budget? This should be the first question when considering backup during load shedding. If you are primarily concerned with saving money on your monthly Eskom bill, then your system may be designed slightly differently. Regardless, the majority are concerned with achieving backup during load shedding. Broken down further, here’s some suggestions.
  • A. Lights, Security system, TV, Plugs and Fridge (up to 2). All else equal, these are the most common loads people would like to stay on during load shedding. Such backup various per household. But generally, it would make sense to start with 8-10kWh of usable battery backup for a 4-6 hours of backup.

• • B. All the loads above plus a deep freezer, geyser, or even a pool pump would drastically change the backup required. Primarily because anything with heat requires a lot of power. Thus, more batteries may be required. But don’t worry, if your lifestyle is a little flexible you can add timers to your geyser and pool pump to run during the day. And more often than not, people are happy with this approach and rarely have a cold shower. Even after a night of load shedding, heat (hot water) carries over until the morning in a typical geyser. For pool pumps, it’s easy to keep pools clean while running pumps only during the day… And a lot of money can be saved.

• How long would you like your “essentials” running on backup during load shedding? As we all know, load shedding is getting worse. Thus it is important to plan your backup during load shedding accordingly. Do you want enough battery backup for level 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 loadshedding? etc.? Your choice could proportionally impact the cost of your solar system. However luckily for you, solar is scalable. And therefore it is possible to start with a set amount of panels, and batteries. Then add more later after monitoring your use.

Conclusion

So, make sure you address these two important points before deciding on a home backup system during load shedding, so you won’t be let down when Eskom goes ka-put! A Greentech staff would help you estimate based on your essential load choices which system size may be best to start with, then it can be monitored and adjusted accordingly.

The post What Can I Put on Backup During Load Shedding? An Ultimate Guide on Home Backup System appeared first on Greentech.

Affordable and Immediate Backup Power Solutions

1. Invest in rechargeable Home devices

There are plenty of options for rechargeable LED lamps, and portable backup batteries… in the market, which you just need to recharge before the load shedding starts. Keep an eye on the schedule for load shedding on the Eskom website, recharge your devices and you’re good to go!

2. Get a Generator

If you have the budget, get a generator!

However, generators are more suitable for running power-intensive loads, and it depends on the fuel. The cost of having a generator and running it can be quite high in the long run.

3. Backup Power Station

Like any other rechargeable devices, you need to fill up your backup power station before the power cuts. There are various brands in the market which provide different capacity units for backup power. However, as the design and structures of these backup power stations, they are more suitable for smaller electronic devices, such as phones, tablets, and laptops… Some of the devices might be able to power your small home appliances, depending on their battery size and voltage output.

The Best Power Solutions – Go Solar!

While the immediate backup solutions can get you through most stages of load shedding, the best power solution out there is to get a solar power system. Going solar will power essential loads in your home or business as well as help in cost saving in the long run.

There are different options when it comes to the solar system, which is usually customized to different ranges of budgets and energy needs. The most commons are Back-Up Power Solutions, Hybrid Solar systems, and Off-Grid Solar systems. However, the main goal of all these power solutions is an uninterrupted power supply (UPS). The Utility power keeps batteries charged prior to power outages, providing a hassle-free experience during downtime.

Conclusion

We hope that this article is insightful for you, and you may have had your choice of the best way to get through load shedding, as well as the power solutions for your home or business. Nevertheless, whether you are working from home or in offices, load shedding is a reality that we all need to be aware of and prepare. It is important to work with experts in power solutions who will cater the best solution for your budget and energy needs.

At Greentech, our team of experts will analyze your load profile and determine where power from solar and storage can be maximized. We deal with Hybrid and off-grid solar systems across South Africa. Contact us today or Request a Quote to get the best backup power solution for your home.

The post Tips for Home Backup during Load Shedding – All Stages appeared first on Greentech.

Why solar inverter is the most important?

There are three main components to a solar system – panels, inverters, and batteries. Of these components, inverters are the most complicated and also the most important to “size up” correctly from the beginning. Though inverters can be paralleled (e.g. two 5kW inverters could be connected to create a 10kW system). It is not the easiest exercise due to the rewiring of the loads running through the system. Also, when determining what is essential vs. non-essential things can get complicated once the inverter size increases. However, if the inverter is sized correctly from the beginning of the system design, there will be fewer problems down the road.

Things to consider when choosing your inverter

1. Is your home a single or three-phase system? This is important simply because it will determine whether a 3-phase or single-phase inverter should be chosen in the system design. Increasingly, 3-phase inverters through brands such as Sunsynk or Deye are being utilized at 8/10/12kW sizes to make it easier. It is also more cost-effective than adding x3 5kW single-phase inverters to make a 3-phase system (one is required per load in such a configuration).
2. What are you trying to achieve with your system? Such as backup-only, cost savings, or both? The answer to these questions will help determine your inverter size. By creating room to maximize panels (and thus cost savings) – requiring a larger inverter – or running essential loads only without cost savings (likely a smaller and less expensive inverter). If the desire of the household or business is to achieve both cost savings and backup (most common). A slightly oversized inverter to the typical load requirement is suggested.
3. Do you plan to increase your load? Often homes or businesses have plans for expansion. In such scenarios, such as a growing family or a new company division, it is suggested to plan accordingly and choose an inverter that can accommodate the loads. Though it may mean a little more money upfront for the inverter, it does not mean more money upfront for the complementary panels or batteries that can be added later. This is good for your pocket!
4. Warranty! Warranties are reflective of the quality of the inverter! Greentech prefers to only install inverters that come with a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty. This is simple – a more quality inverter means fewer headaches and future problems. The next / lower “tier” of inverters comes with a 1 or 2-year warranty. The primary difference between such brands (such as Growatt, Kodak, Mercer, and LuxPower) is they are less robust and versatile. For instance, on robustness, most 1 or 2 year warranty inverters do not come with power-electronics or transformer-based systems that the Deye, Susnynk, Huawei or Victron inverters offer (Greentech’s preferred brands). And on versatility, most do not offer opportunities to split loads easily from essentials and non-essentials. This makes it difficult to achieve both maximum cost savings and backup. Regardless of all this, 1-2 year warranty inverters may be a good fit for homes and businesses requiring budget-friendly solutions (and as long as expectations are managed about durability).

Conclusion

So choosing the right solar inverter is very important. Make sure to choose quality inverters (coming with a 5-year warranty) if your budget allows, and then add (more) panels and batteries later if your load requirements aren’t there yet or you simply don’t have the money yet to maximise your backup (batteries) and cost-savings (more panels). Questions? Contact us today to learn more! 

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• Question: Why do you want to go solar: for power backup during load-shedding, cost savings, or both?
• People: Both!

In South Africa’s new reality energy security (also referred to as imply “home backup power” is becoming a fact of daily life. This is far different than the South Africa of 3-4 years ago, when most people were going solar to save money. Though saving money is still a reality with solar (and indeed a lot can be saved), the catalyst for most people to chose solar is to have backup during load shedding.

How to Maximise Return on Investment in Solar?

At Greentech, for our clients to enjoy the most cost savings out of their solar system, we recommend foremost to maximise solar panels on the available roof space. By maximising solar panels relative to the inverter size, the full solar system can be utilised most efficiently and thus get the best of your solar system investment. As panels are the cheapest part of the solar system (comparing to inverters and batteries). Homes and businesses would also realize the most return-on-investment (ROI) by maximising their solar panels.

Tips for the most Cost Saving out of Solar

Additionally, you can make some simple lifestyle changes that will ensure greater cost savings. Some simple tricks Greentech recommends is:

1. Putting your geyser on a timer to heat during sun hours (usually the heat carries over until morning)
2. Doing laundry, dishes and daily cleaning activities that may use energy during sun hours
3. Switching to gas stoves or putting electric stoves on essential-only loads.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many ways to maximise your solar system investment, but the best ways are to maximise your panels of the solar system, and making small lifestyle adjustments. At Greentech, our team of solar experts offer not only high-quality solar installation service, but also great tips and insights on how to take care your home solar system, and make the most out of it. Give us a call today or simply Request for Quote and we will get back to you.

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The benefit of Off-grid Systems

The benefit of going off-grid is that your home or business can have complete autonomy from Eskom. There would be no reliance on Eskom in any form, and most clients that chose to go off-grid have an energy mix between solar, batteries, and generators. The load profiles vary based on homes and are subject to clients’ budgets, energy use patterns, and use cases (e.g. farms or businesses with heavy daytime use during sunlight hours tend to be the first to consider off-grid applications).

The Best Off-grid Power Solution

Though “off-grid” is becoming a buzz word of sorts due to Eskom’s unreliability, the reality is that going off-grid is expensive. That is because instead of planning for 2-8 hours of backup during loadshedding, when choosing to go off-grid clients must plan for designing a home or business for up to three days of autonomy. This means if it rains for three days straight or energy use is higher than average, the appropriate amount of batteries must be incorporated into the design… And batteries are the most expensive part of any solar system. Thus, most clients chose to go “60-70” off-grid and add batteries and panels as they understand their energy use more, turning the script on Eskom, and utilizing its availability as another source of charging batteries. Going off-grid also may imply a lot more costly backup scenarios for non-essential loads such as electric ovens, laundry machines, geysers, pool pumps, etc.

Conclusion

Going off-grid is a big jump for most homes and businesses and the appropriate analysis of the energy use and budget analysis must be considered. Though changes to the lifestyle use (daytime use) may be important in helping make this decision, it’s important to plan for at least 3 days autonomy when designing an off-grid system. There are pros and cons to going off-grid 100%. Contact us or Request a Quote with us today to find out the best solar system solution for your home or businesses.

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