SOLENERGY
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However, the reality is that one tank of 150l will only really provide enough hot water for two users. So the home has four users, what then? By definition, again using a simple example, doubling the electrical saving through solar at 7.5kWh should meet the need of SANS 10400-XA 2.
A conundrum exists in that( as was pointed out earlier) with grid parity being achieved, it makes sense for the consumer to save as much electricity as possible— this would require a more expensive and more powerful solar system. But this is in conflict with many builders and property developers who want to install the cheapest system that they can get away with.
Is there a middle ground? Arguably, there is in that the consumer should make the choice and specify their requirements.
The low-income housing sector Turning to low-income and new RDP homes: what are the options, particularly if SANS 10400- XA 2 is considered?
Is a low-pressure SWH connected to highpressure mains sensible where a low-pressure system cannot be used for a shower? A highpressure solar system is not that much more expensive and with all the high-pressure solar water heating permutations, greater flexibility exists. For example, rather than having heavy tanks on roofs, the tanks could either be inside on the wall or even outside on the ground, with only the solar collector sitting on the roof, thereby greatly reducing roof stresses and avoiding reinforcement.
Concerning the outlook for low-income housing in terms of government-subsidised rollouts, it is difficult to determine whether they will ever happen again. The targets of the president and the ministers of energy have consistently been missed, and now 3½ years after the Eskom rebate programme for low-pressure SWHs ended, very few systems have been installed other than under a City Power tender.
Unfortunately, on the limited award given recently( June 2016) to only four suppliers of about
10 000 systems, systems have been chosen that will fail to provide hot water in winter. Although compliant, they just don’ t have the necessary performance to heat water to more than 35 ° C on a cold winter’ s day.
Can and will a socio-economic upliftment programme comprising solar water heaters be implemented for low-income housing? This is open to question. Constraints on the fiscus would suggest there are higher priorities. Yet, ideas are brewing where 2 % of the income generated from the electricity sales to Eskom following the REIPPPP installations might be used for just such a purpose.
The insurance sector For many years, with about 250 000 – 300 000 electric geysers failing and being replaced each year, householders have been enquiring whether a solar system could be installed rather than another electric geyser.
None of the plans has ever come to fruition, and when looking at the financial reasons as to why, it becomes self-evident. Solar simply is more expensive than electrical resistance element technology.
Consequently, it requires about double the amount of money to replace an electric geyser with a solar geyser. Insurance companies, not surprisingly, are unwilling to provide the customer with something that is arguably more expensive— and better— than what is being replaced. They collect insurance premiums for five years, earn the investment income, and pay out on an actuarial basis much in the same way as life insurance.
Plumbers’ merchants are not interested in solar when they can sell another electric geyser to the same customer in a few years’ time. Plumbers too are disinterested in solar systems, as they can remove and install yet another electric geyser and get paid without any credit risk by the insurance company. For the customer it also works, as they feel they are getting something back; indeed, they are getting a new geyser for the price of the excess of R750 – R1 500— much lower than the cost of a new geyser at the plumbing store.
Change can only ever take place when customers realise that by going the solar route, they will be financially better off than replacing one electric geyser with another.
The lack of education and awareness is the problem that the solar water heating industry faces— not competition from other solar water heating installers or one product being superior to another. It is simply about getting the consumer to understand the benefits.
Editor ' s comment
Bear in mind that all solar installations must be done by a qualified installer, as stated in the compulsory standard. Insist as well on the substantiation of savings. Some manufacturers and suppliers are somewhat liberal with 70 – 80 % savings when they cannot offer substantiation thereof, or they twist the figures, hoping the installer and / or consumer is too ignorant to appreciate the fudging of figures.
James Green is the chair of the Sustainable Energy Society Southern Africa’ s( SESSA) Solar Water Heating Division Council and vice-chair of SESSA. Since 2009, he has been the CEO of Green Water Solar, African Sun Solar Geysers, and Pay as You Go Solar. PA
Change can only ever take place when customers realise that by going the solar route, they will be financially better off than replacing one electric geyser with another.
November 2016 Volume 22 I Number 9 www. plumbingafrica. co. za