Rainwater Harvesting
It is now viable to harvest rainwater for your whole household. This includes rainwater harvesting, storing and pumping rainwater for bathing, showering, toilet flushing, pool, laundry and irrigation. Rainwater harvesting together with other Water Rhapsody products can save up to 90% of your water bill.
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Category Archives: Solar Power
With Yes Solar your solar geyser will pay for itself!
“Last year I installed those solar panels in my house for the geyser, that energy-efficient kind. Today, I got a call from the contractor who installed it. He complained that the work had been completed a year ago and I still hadn’t paid for them. Hellooo … just because I’m blonde doesn’t mean that I am automatically stupid. So, I told him
Subsidies vir sonkraggeisers droop op!
Die installering van laedruk-sonkraggeisers in die Baai is voorlopig gestaak omdat Eskom se subsidies daarvoor opgedroog het. Die sondraggeisers is n Eskom-projek en word deur hom gefinansier. Sowat 30 586 geisers is al by regeringshuise hier aangebring. George Ferreira, van die maatskappy wat die geisers installeer, het gesê hulle het al 120 000 huishoudings voorsien. Ferreira het op n onlangse komiteevergadering oor infrastruktuur, ingenieurswese en energie gesê die projek is gestaak weens geldnood en hy weet nie wannneer dit hervat sal word nie. Volgens Mnr. Ferreira spaar huiseienaars maandeliks sowat R30 aan krag met laedruk- sonkrag-geisers. Hulle het egter heelwat probleme ondervind tydens die installering. “Talle huiseienaars wat by hul huise laat aanbou het se dakke voldoen nie aan die standaarde nie en ons kon nie installasies doen nie. Ons het ook enkele lekke ondervind omdat vullertenks wat plaaslik vervaardig en SABS-goedgekeur is, foutief was. Ons moes 6000 van die vullertenks vervang. Sommige foutiewe krane is vervang. Van die geysers wat verkeerd geïnstalleer is, het van huiseienaars se dakke afgewaai.” Dié probleme het veroorsaak dat die maatskappy nie soveel wins gemaak het as wat hy aanvanklik bereken het nie. Helga van Staaden – PE Express, 21 September 2011
Wind Power in South Africa
Kilian Hagemann, director at G7 Renewable Energies (one of SA’s leading large-scale wind farm developers), rates wind power as the leading technology available to meet South Africa’s renewable energy targets. “It’s the only technology that has really been successfully rolled out on a large scale worldwide and we have a wide variety of international projects to learn from to ensure a successful implementation in SA. According to Hagemann, South Africa can expect to see its first large-scale wind farms operating in late 2013 if the procurement process is concluded by the end of this year.” “We expect the SA market for wind-power to grow significantly over the next three years. I’ve had various meeting with role-players, including government officials, and it seems clear to me that the current SA administration is intent upon moving increasingly towards renewable as far as energy supply is concerned.” Applications for at least 88 wind farms have been received by the Eastern and Western Cape authorities and some of these wind farms are expected to have as many as 600 turbines located on them.
Securing energy needs
Everyone in the energy (petroleum) industry talks about security of supply. In the case of electricity security of supply, feedstock (mainly coal) for base-load power station is locally available, whereas in the petroleum industry analysts are concerned that almost 100% of crude is imported into SA. This is seen as a major risk to the country, considering that the bulk of crude imports are from Middle East. So when the Petroleum Agency of SA permits companies to investigate the availability of shale gas plans, this is the opportunity for SA to minimize the risk that experts talk about — of crude processed in South African refineries imported from the Middle East. One just needs to read the Energy Security Master Plan — Liquid Fuels that was published in August 2007 to see the government’s concerns about security of supply. The energy plan supports the promotion of local production of liquid fuels and recommends a policy of limited imports. In other words, companies search for crude, shale gas, natural gas, and mine more coal, etc. In the energy plan it is mentioned that in support of energy security and the balance of payments, there is a need for the maintenance of … Continue reading
Interesting Facts about Electricity
A spark of static electricity can measure up to three thousand (3,000) volts. A bolt of lightning can measure up to three million (3,000,000) volts – and it lasts less than one second! Electricity always tries to find the easiest path to the ground. Electricity can be made from wind, water, the sun and even animal manure. Burning coal is the most common way electricity is made in the United States. The first power plant – owned by Thomas Edison – opened in New York City in 1882. Thomas Edison invented more than 2,000 new products, including almost everything needed for us to use electricity in our homes: switches, fuses, sockets and meters. Benjamin Franklin didn’t discover electricity – but he did prove that lightning is a form of electrical energy. One power plant can produce enough electricity for 180,000 homes. Alternative Energy The bicycle is the most efficient form of transportation known. It uses five times less energy than walking. B.C.’s forest industry obtains 25% of its electricity from biomass — in this case, the waste material from their own industry. A system of distribution and transmission lines brings electricity to southern Manitoba through 70,000 km of lines. That’s … Continue reading
Posted in Energy Saving, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Solar Geysers, Solar Power, Solar Water Heating, Water Conservation, Water Tanks
Tagged Alternative Energy, going green, Saving Electricity, Solar geysers, Solar panels, Solar power, Static Elecrisity Spark, Wind Tubine, Wind Tunnels, Yes Solar
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Fascinating Facts about Energy
Science Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. Find an elastic band, and stretch it out. The stretched rubber band has potential energy. If you let it go, it moves and has kinetic energy. Have you ever wondered how you might get a hot air balloon to float up and down? How would you launch it? How would you get it back to earth? The balloon rises by warming up the air inside it. It descends by letting the air inside it cool down. It all works because of heat energy. Electricity travels at 300,000 km/sec. If you travelled that fast, you could travel around the world eight times in the time it takes to turn on a light switch. The energy produced by the atom-splitting of one kilogram of uranium is equivalent to the burning of 1.3 million kilograms of coal or 1.35 million litres of oil. People run on energy too, and food is our fuel. The unit we use to measure expended heat energy is the calorie. Calorie expenditures comparison: Lying at ease – 1.5 cal/min Tennis – 7 cal/min Playing drums – 4–6 cal/min Golfing – 6 … Continue reading
Posted in Energy Saving, Green, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Solar Power, Solar Water Heating, Water Tanks
Tagged Electricity, Energy, going green, Hot Air Balloon, Hydrogen Nuclei, Interesting Facts about Energy, Natural Resources, Saving Electricity, Saving water, Water tanks, Yes Solar
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Ways to reduce your electricity bill Step three:
Get a geyser blanket The exact savings are hard to predict, but fitting a geyser blanket around your geyser and insulating your hot water pipes is recommended, says Palmer, as these prevent heat loss when the geyser is switched off. Geyser blankets range in price from R90 to R400 – only buy those that are SABS-approved, Eskom-endorsed and flameproof. DIY kits are available but it’s easiest to ask a plumber to install the blanket, at a cost of roughly R250–R450 per hour (it shouldn’t take longer than an hour). For more information, go to www.eskomdsm.co.za.
Posted in Energy Saving, Green, Solar Energy, Solar Geysers, Solar Power, Solar Water Heating, Water Tanks
Tagged Electricity price increase, Geyser Blanket, Reduce Electricity Bills, Saving Electricity, Solar geysers, Solar panels, Solar power, Solsquare, Water Conservation, Waterwise, Yes Solar
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Why Solar Energy in South Africa?
There are 5 Good reasons to use solar energy in South Africa: Power Shortage: South Africa cannot meet the energy demand in the country only with existing power generation capacity. South Africa must safe 10% on its electricity bill. Former finance Minister Trevor Manuel announced various steps and measures in his February 2008 budget speech which includes: ¨ Levy on electricity generated from non-renewable sources, such as generators. ¨ Promised to consider tax incentives for clean energy. ¨ Tax relief for generation of electricity from amongst others sunlight. Eskom has announced delays in quoting and perhaps supplying only part or none of the electricity requirements for new developments and requirements for permits. 2. Rising Energy Cost: Electricity costs are very low in SA, but Eskom forces a 25% price increase per annum over the next four years. Diesel price increased more than 200% in the last 4 years and will continue to do so for the unforeseeable future. (Source: Stats AS 2007) 3. Independence from providers: Solar energy ensures continued power supply on key appliances at home or in the office, thereby mitigating damage during power surges and outages. It reduces the household reliance on Main Grid Energy … Continue reading
Solar Water Heating
People have been using solar power for many years to heat up their water, light up their homes and for general low-voltage appliances. Solar power energy is now more easily accessible to the public than ever before, and millions of people around the world are installing solar geysers in their homes in order to save money on electricity consumption and thus helping the planet. Converting your home to use solar power can be a considerable undertaking, but the results are very rewarding. Going solar is a growing trend, but where do you begin the process? Solar power systems use energy from the sun – which is an unlimited source of renewable energy – and convert it into electricity or heat. The most practical place to start the process of conversion is with the installation of solar geysers on your roof. Solar water heaters use a roof-mounted, heat-absorbing panels (thermal collectors) to heat water with the power of the sun. The heated water is fed into a special solar geyser that stores the water. Firstly, you should find the most appropriate position suitable on your roof. The solar panels should not be shaded either by trees or any other obstacles. Even if … Continue reading
