With the threat of stage 8 load shedding looming large over South Africa, having a plan B for extended periods of power outages has become non-negotiable, says retailer Builders.
But it’s not an easy or affordable process to embark on – and it is important for households to take into account a handful of considerations before trying to move off the grid, it said.
“Finding effective power solutions for many can be overwhelming; it is, therefore, important to consider certain factors before investing in an alternative power solution,” said Amelia Rajkumar, buyer for electrical and alternate power solutions at Builders.
“When selecting the right backup method, you need to evaluate your power supply needs in terms of usage – which is unique to every home and business.”
According to the retailer, homeowners must initially determine how much power is needed and what times their home needs to be powered. Once this is confirmed, pricing and affordability is the next stop.
Moving off the grid is an expensive endeavour, Rajukumar said – however, with likely tax breaks on the horizon for installing alternative energy generation systems, this may begin to change.
The government is expected to detail incentivisation programmes for off-grid households in the coming weeks, starting with an anticipated announcement from finance minister Enoch Godongwana during his budget speech on Wednesday (22 February) related to possible tax breaks.
Other measures, such as the adoption of feed-in tariffs to allow private producers to sell energy back the grid, are also expected to be in the pipeline.
Rajukumar said there are broadly two options to consider when opting for alternative power: the ‘plug-and-play’ solutions, and going solar.
‘Plug-and-play solutions’ ensure that devices such as routers, laptops and lights continue working during power cuts. These involve portable power solutions, some of which come with advanced battery capacity, fast-charging ability, and enough strength to run high consumption appliances.
“The second – solar installation – comes with the great potential for rebates expected to be announced in the budget speech. We will likely see an increase in demand here and pricing, too,” Rajukumar said.
Portable solutions are more affordable, but limited. Solar solutions give the best mitigation against load shedding, but come at a greater cost.
Currently, solar solution prices vary between R100,000 and R200,000, but can reach over R300,000 on the higher end, depending on the number of panels, quality and brand of inverter and batteries.
These prices are unattainable for many households.
Inverters, meanwhile, can vary in price and size, with most ‘off the shelf’ products ranging between R6,000 and upwards of R20,000 and even higher.
Whatever the solution in place, Builders said that South Africans can do more to decrease the load on their systems, which will improve energy efficiency over the long run, and will even save money in the face of rising prices.
These are some methods to be better prepared for rolling blackouts and electricity price hikes.
- Load shedding lights – these are lightbulbs with built-in rechargable batteries that can be used to reduce the overall load considerably;
- Reducing the amount of power used by replacing air conditioners – which consume 2.5-3kW of power per hour – with an evaporative cooler at 200W, or a normal fan;
- Invest in gas stoves and cookers;
- Substituting appliance with those that use less power.
Rajukumar noted that replacing appliances is quick and effortless way to reduce power usage and make mitigation solutions last longer.
A geyser, for example, provides hot water for multiple uses, such as bathing, washing clothes, washing utensils and cooking.
“Traditional geysers use 3.5kW of power per hour compared to a heat pump which only consumes 0.5kW over the same period. Over time, this results in a 48% saving on the monthly electricity bill,” Builders said.
See the original article at https://businesstech.co.za/news/energy/666607/power-backups-have-become-non-negotiable-in-south-africa/