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NEWS AND VIEWS
3 November 2008
Hot Weather Means Hot Water!
We are currently experiencing very hot and dry weather conditions in Joburg, with some violent thunderstorms in the late afternoons and evenings. My On-Sun solar water heater is currently providing all our household hot water at no cost! In the first quarter of 2006 we had plenty of hot water for three months continuously, without spending a single cent on electricity! Under different weather conditions with long periods of overcast one has to use some electricity for boosting. On average, however, over the past six years I have reduced the amount of electricity used to heat water in my house by 80%, by installing an On-Sun 150 litre unit on the roof. We have three On-Suns installed now on our residential and business properties, and will soon be lifting number four onto another roof - this simply makes good economic and environmental sense!
The Eskom SWH Incentive Scheme
Eskom's incentive scheme to encourage South Africans to instal solar water heaters has grown steadily since the beginning of 2008. To find out more about the scheme, visit www.eskom.co.za and follow the links to Demand Side Management and Solar Water Heating. All the information you need about the programme is on this web site.
Electricity tariffs in South Africa are on the move - UPWARDS! Most householders would have noticed that their monthly electricity bills have gone up. Apart from the increases granted by the National Energy Regulator (NERSA) to Eskom, municipalities have taken their cut as well, and the 2c/kWh DSM levy announced by the Minister of Finance has now been added.
In Joburg my electricity tariff is now 57.17 cents/kWh. We have also been told that annual increases of at least 25% per annum can be expected for the next five years. On that basis, this is what your minimum cost per kWh is going to be in Joburg:
2009 - 71.46
2010 - 89.33
2011 - 111.66
2012 - 139.58
2013 - 174.47
The municipalities and others in the energy food chain are also going to take their slices. This means that you will, without doubt, be paying a whole lot more for your electricity every year. An investment in a solar water heater NOW has to make a lot of sense, as the payback period reduces every time there is an electricity price hike.
There could be another nasty surprise waiting for us next year. Electricity rationing might be introduced, to achieve savings of 10-20% for all consumers based on their historic use. Once this is in place, householders might face punitive charges for every kWh by which they exceed their quota.
But 2009 is election year in South Africa, and with the recent amazing developments in the political arena here, energy is going to be a thorny issue. Eskom has got to be paid more for its electricity, yet powerful political voices call for cheap electricity for the poor as a basic right - something has to snap here, and the basic truth is that Eskom cannot generate electricity at a loss, and nobody can expect energy services at no cost either!
For most home-owners the installation of a solar water heater is the most cost-beneficial way to cut household consumption and reduce monthly electricity bills.
Eskom's Solar Water Heating Programme offers you the opportunity to invest in a quality solar water heater and also get a subsidy when you instal a unit purchased from an Eskom-accredited supplier.
Eskom's programme was introduced at the beginning of 2008 and has grown fast since then. It has had the stimulating effect of bringing many more products and suppliers into the market, and has rapidly introduced quality standards where none existed before. Several local suppliers now have the SABS mark. Well done Eskom!
As of 19 October (when I last looked) the Eskom website listed 21 accredited SWH suppliers all over South Africa, and many of them have appointed regional distributors, meaning that South African consumers have a wider choice of product than ever before.
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Q and A
Q: Is the On-Sun South African Solar Water Heater currently accredited for the Eskom incentive scheme?
A: NOT YET
The On-Sun 150 has so far passed the tests for SABS 1307 (mechanical and thermal testing of solar water heaters) and SABS 60335-2-21 (electrical safety). We are going to submit the On-Sun system for testing for SABS 151 at some time in the future.
Q: Do you expect the On-Sun system to be on the Eskom suppliers' list soon?
A: PROBABLY NOT UNTIL THE NEW YEAR
We currently have a backlog of orders and we are selling everything that our small factory can produce. For a small enterprise like On-Sun, the cost of the SABS tests is quite significant. We have already paid over R40,000 for the two tests completed so far. The remaining SABS 151 test will cost another R16,000, provided that no re-testing is required.
"So just add your SABS costs onto the selling price, because the customer will get a subsidy from Eskom anyway", say our business friends. But we are not at all comfortable with that attitude - we want to sell an excellent product at a fair price.
For the meantime we have absorbed the cost of the two SABS tests without increasing the price of our product. In the current environment we are happy to allocate our limited production to discerning buyers who want a unique South African product that provides jobs for South Africans and uses local components .
The On-Sun is very competitively priced and can match most comparable systems that qualify for the
Eskom subsidy - and then there is our 18-year track record that comes at no cost! We believe the On-Sun is worth waiting for - our lead time from placing an order to installation is about two months. The choice is yours.....!
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On-Sun Survives Hail the Size of Oranges!
We were gratified to receive this e-mail from one of our clients:
Dear John
You may remember that I bought a solar water heater from you about a year ago for Mosetlha Bush Camp.
I see that Eskom now has a small rebate scheme for domestic solar water heaters. I'm thinking of getting one for my house in Joburg (Kelvin), but you don't seem to be on Eskom's list of accredited suppliers whose products qualify for the rebate.
Are you likely to be on there in the future?
Kind regards
CL
P.S. In November 2007 we had a once in a lifetime hail storm with stones the size of oranges - literally - and your panel survived unbroken. Others - particularly the photovoltaics - all smashed and two other make solar panels also!
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Save Water, Save Electricity
It makes sense that the less hot water you use, the less energy you will need to heat that water. That is why solar water heating makes such good sense, because you should be able to reduce the amount of electricity used for water heating by 80% when you fit a SWH.
But do you know that using less COLD water in Gauteng will also save energy? This is because we receive our precious water from Rand Water, and they have to pump it uphill from the Vaal River Basin to the higher ground on which Gauteng is situated. In fact Rand Water has to do more pumping than almost any other water utility in the world!
Low flow showers are a great way to save water, and we recommend the RST low flow shower-heads to our clients - all those who fitted them are extremely pleased with their performance. At the operating pressure of the On-Sun system, which is 200 kPa, the RST low flow shower-heads use only 50% of the water that would flow through a conventional shower-head. These smart shower-heads are made in Germany and introduce air into the water to give a very pleasant shower with minimal water use. Go to www.rst.co.za for more information.
Please call me at any time to talk about solar water heating and other energy issues.
Best wishes
John
3 November 2008
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ABOUT GAUTENG SOLAR SOLUTIONS
We promote, market and instal On-Sun South African Solar Water Heaters in Gauteng Province, the vibrant business and economic hub of South Africa.
We are Corporate Members of the Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (SESSA) and of the Solar Water Heating Division (SWHD) of SESSA.
SESSA is a non-government, non-profit organization that represents the renewable energy sector in Southern Africa. SESSA has three active Divisions, namely the Solar Water Heating Division (SWHD), the Photo Voltaic Sales and Marketing Division (PVSM) and the alternative fuels cooking division (AFRECA).
Visit the SESSA website at www.sessa.org.za for more information. SESSA is hosting the Solar World Congress 2009 at the Sandton Convention Centre from 11-14 October 2009. This is the flagship scientific meeting and business exhibition of ISES, the International Solar Energy Society, held every two years. There is a link to SWC2009 on ther SESSA website.
There is an interesting report on the SESSA website about a project managed by SESSA on behalf of the national electric utility, Eskom, to evaluate the performance of solar water heaters. Follow the links to Media Centre, then to Presentations, then to "Residential hot water energy project - "Quantification of benefits, one year on" by Jon Adams. This report is of great interest to anyone interested in solar water heating.
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Gauteng Solar Solutions - Our Business
We have only one product, the truly remarkable On-Sun solar water heating system, and we devote all our efforts to placing these "personal power stations" on as many South African roofs as we can, to harvest the abundant energy of the African sun.
Each time we instal another On-Sun system, we celebrate a small victory for the environment - a little less electricity used to heat water; a little less coal used to generate that electricity; and a little less Carbon Dioxide emitted to change our climate. These small victories help other little steps towards the big effort required by all of humankind, to slow down our consumption of fossil fuel and reduce our damage to the environment.
Designed and patented 18 years ago by a Swiss Engineer, the On-Sun South African Solar Water Heater embodies all his experience and skills acquired over a lifetime of working with renewable energy. Some 26 years ago Willi Suremann established a business to instal solar water heaters for farmers, schools, clinics, hospitals and mission stations in the Eastern Free State and Lesotho, where the high altitude, intense solar radiation and freezing winters resulted in a very high failure rate of the various products that he bought from other suppliers.
Willi then set about designing a system that would work effectively in this very tough environment.
His design challenge: how to build an efficient, durable, practical and aesthetically acceptable solar water heater that would operate at the extremes of very high solar radiation at high altitude, coupled with extremely high temperatures in summer, and freezing winter temperatures with ice and snow in winter?
Add to that Willi's philosophy that:
- the system had to be built by hand by unskilled but trained workers, to create jobs for poor people in an impoverished part of South Africa.
- it could be installed by any DIY enthusiast or competent handyman, and be easily repaired using ordinary tools.
- it would incorporate standard water pressure and electrical components available throughout South Africa and neighbouring countries from plumbing and hardware outlets.
- the system had to be resistant to both hail and freezing and be simple to instal and maintain.
- the system would have a clean and neat appearance when installed on the roof.
The result: The On-Sun South African Solar Water Heater!
Today the On-Sun is the only freeze-tolerant, flat plate, direct type solar water heater made in South Africa!
Advantages of the On-Sun system?
- No anti-freeze to service, evaporate or worry about
- Direct system is efficient and reliable
- Fully South African built with locally available components
- Easily repaired using local parts and skills
- Track record of 18 years under extreme local conditions
The On-Sun system is available in 100 litre, 150 litre and 300 litre configurations, operating at water pressures of either 100 kPa or 200 kPa. The most popular model is the one-piece On-Sun 150 litre 200 kPa system.
Further variations include a 150 litre split system (the On-Sun 202) where the collector and tank are closely coupled by six standard connectors. The benefit of this configuration lies in simpler transport, an aluminium collector tray, and better safety on high roofs for the installer.
The On-Sun systems are available in a variety of tank covers, ranging from galvanised steel (very durable and long-lasting in the high interior of South Africa), to aluminium for coastal areas, to stainless steel (for smart apearance everywhere!), and to Chromadek coated steel (for matching roof colours).
The On-Sun is a unique product, unlike any other solar water heater on the market.
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The On-Sun has a very clean and neat appearance, as all the water controls are contained within the tank cover. The tank cover can be painted to match the roof colour, or it can be made of coloured Chromadek. Tank covers are also available in aluminium or stainless steel. This is a standard 150 litre model, fitted flat on a north-facing pitched roof
This On-Sun 150 litre unit is mounted on a steel frame on a flat roof, to achieve the correct orientation (true north) and tilt (35 degrees from horizontal at a latitude of 25 degrees South).
On-Sun in 300 litre configuration. Here we use a special matched pair of 150 litre units that are closely connected in series. A cover over the connections makes for a very neat appearance, with no piping visible. Note the solar cooker in the background! We can supply these 2m super solar cookers on request.
The On-Sun 100 litre system is well suited for low cost housing, providing a quality product at an affordable price. This system is installed on an experimental RDP house on the campus of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. I am an Associate Professor of this University, where I teach a module on Renewable Energy at M.Sc. level.
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I have been marketing and installing the On-Sun South African Patent Solar Water Heater in Gauteng, South Africa, for six years, and have learnt to appreciate the very special qualities of this unique product.
We have installed On-Sun systems in Nelspruit in the East and in Lichtenburg in the West, Pretoria in the North, and Mondeor in the South. We prefer to work in Gauteng, but remember that the On-Sun is easily installed by any plumber or handyman, so you can always pick up a unit from us and DO IT YOURSELF!
You can contact me by telephone at 011-680-1553, by mobile at 083-650-1768, by e-mail at John.Ledger@wol.co.za. Give me a call any time of the day, or leave a message if the line is busy. I enjoy talking to folks about renewable energy!
I also have an electronic brochure that gives further information about the On-Sun solar water heater, and it will be my pleasure to e-mail it to you on request.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Best wishes
John
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Economic and Environmental Benefits of Solar Water heaters
This paper by Willi Suremann and John Ledger was published in Energize magazine in 2005.
A copy of the paper will be mailed to you on request; the environmental data have been updated according to Eskom's 2006 Sustainability Report.
Please contact me at John.Ledger@wol.co.za for a copy.
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SELECTED EXAMPLES: RECENT INSTALLATIONS OF ON-SUN SOUTH AFRICAN SOLAR WATER HEATERS
31 Denton Place, Mondeor.
On-Sun 150 system installed on a steel frame on a back-sloping tiled roof. On-Sun supplies computer-designed frames for correct orientation of solar water heaters on any roof.
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17 Chamfuti Street, Sharonlea, Randburg
This On-Sun 150 has been painted to match the green roof of the house. Water-based primer and roof paint from Prominent Paints was applied, after the tank cover and tray were thoroughly cleaned with galvanized steel cleaner and the fibreglass end-caps sanded with water paper. The paint is guaranteed for 7 years and the On-Sun can be touched up whenever the roof is repainted. The green solar water heater blends well with the roof, the awnings and the greenery of the garden. Because all the water controls, including the vacuum breakers, are housed inside the tank cover, we do not have insightly pipes projecting above the system. The On-Sun is the only flat-plate, freeze-resistant, direct solar water on the South African market. The SABS test for freeze tolerance requires the system to be cooled to minus 20 degrees C and held there for 14 hours. With its 18 year pedigree in the snow and ice of Lesotho, the On-Sun had no problem with that particular challenge!
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21 Denton Place, Mondeor
This is the On-Sun 150 litre system in the "202" split configuration. The tank and collector are supplied as separate, matched units. This makes the system easier to transport and lift onto steep roofs. In this particular installation, we had to get our solar water heater to the top of three stories, each ringed by a high parapet. The 202 system is much easier to handle in such a situation, reducing the risk of damage and accidents. In this case the sytem is mounted on a steel frame, and the collector is joined to the tank with six Cobra Conex straight couplers. The small gap is closed with a stainless steel cover to give a neat finish.
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These are just a few examples of the On-Sun systems we have installed recently.
Please contact me to discuss your solar water heating requirements. If I can't give you what you need, I will put you in touch with a SESSA member who can.
Best wishes
John
3 November 2008
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