Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa September 2015 | Page 40

STRATEGIES

Solar Power Initiatives
Using solar-energy to power your household
BY DREW HOOK

W

ith daily power cuts becoming a regular
part of life, many South African
households are making the move to solar
power. Thankfully the countries climate makes it an
ideal environment for solar power.
In recent years the price of a solar powered system
has dropped significantly. Five years ago a solarpowered system would cost R5 per kWh, compared to
Eskom’s R0.50 per kWh.
Today a solar system produces power at less than R1
per kWh, while Eskom charges at least double or more
than that. The wider availability and lower costs of
solar-powered systems has allowed households to use
solar energy to either supplement Eskom’s power or go
completely off the grid.
Evaluating your households solar resource
Solar electric systems -- also known as photovoltaic
(PV) systems – are ideally suited to SA as they can
use both direct and scattered sunlight. The amount of
electricity generated at a particular site depends on
how much of the sun’s energy reaches it.
Before you buy a PV system, you will want to be
sure your site has enough solar energy to meet your
electricity needs efficiently and economically.
When evaluating your site, you’ll also need to consider
both the geographic orientation and the tilt of your
solar panels -- PV modules -- as both can affect your
system’s performance.
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SEPTEMBER 2015 SA Real Estate Investor

Solar system for a large house
A solar system instillation, which produces enough
energy to power the average house, will cost around
R233,00. This system includes 24 solar panels, a battery
bank, inverters, cabling, and installation costs.
The economics of a home solar electric or PV system
are determined by both the capital and operating costs.
Capital costs include the initial installation cost, while
operating costs include maintaining and operating the PV
system over its useful lifespan (20 years on average).

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING WHEN EVALUATING
YOUR HOME FOR SOLAR POWER:
• Your available solar resource -- do you have clear and
unobstructed access to sunlight for most or all of the day,
throughout the year?
• The system size -- do you have a roof or area large enough
to accommodate it?
• The economics -- is it worth the investment?
• Local permits and covenants -- are there any issues with
installing a system?

RESOURCES
Gunstons Attorneys
www.reimag.co.za