Thanks to Muti, I came across an article from IOL announcing a solar power breakthrough pioneered by South African researchers.
The article claimed that the new panels will allow a house to receive all of its electricity from the solar panels, even in winter, and that the panels will be available in South Africa within a year. They are much cheaper and much more efficient than the existing solar panels.
That’s fantastic news if everything is as claimed. With Jhb and Cape Town having suffered frequent power failures recently, and the nuke proponents in full flight once again, some progress in renewables is sorely needed.
Being a cautious type, before I set up my IT business in the Karoo, far from Eskom’s lines, I tried to find some other corraborating sources. The article (originally from the Weekend Argus) is rather over-the-top, and reads more as a press release than serious scientific reporting. It’s easy to be cynical. Scientists need to generate noise to get funding, and promising the next big thing is a surefire way of getting attention. I’ve also no idea of what happens at night time, whether sufficient energy can be stored, or alternative sources are required. Googling for the term solar breakthrough gives a good indication of the abuse of the term. Or a big oil company could come along and buy the whole thing, sticking it in a vault while they milk the dying planet of the last of its oil.
However, the leader of the team, Professor Vivian Alberts from Johannesburg University has been in the field for a long time, and seems to have built up quite a track record. In 2004 there was a lot of noise about a big breakthrough, with production estimated within three years. Since it’s now estimated at 1 year, that means everything is still on track. Reports from 2004 came from Science in Africa and the SABC, amongst others. IAfrica has a good article from October 2005 that looks at some of the economics.
Ordinary solar panels are 350 microns thick, while the new method means they can be 5 microns thick. That doesn’t mean much on its own, but in this case it means its much cheaper to product. Not only that, it’s more efficient. So, on a commercial scale, old solar panels produced 50 W at a cost of about R2100. New panels produce 60 W at a cost of R650. Quite a dramatic increase that suddenly make solar very viable. How does that compare to other sources? These next figures are gleaned from a bit of rough research, sources don’t really match up, and of course there’s lots of vested interest research in all these figures. I don’t really know the details , so don’t trust anything quoted here entirely 
One source claims that this means that solar energy can be generated at a cost of 50c/kWh (SA currency used throughout).
Apparently wind energy costs 30c/KWh in the US (with a subsidy), and until now wind has always been seen as the most cost-effective renewable energy, so coming in under this is a big step forward for solar. It’s tricky to make fair comparisons, as the calculation is relatively complex, and of course affected by the capital costs of building the power stations, so I didn’t manage to find reliable figures for the others. But Earthlife publish a good, though dated, investigation of how existing nuclear power stations rely on massive subsidies to be in the slightest bit viable.
At least it looks like exciting times ahead. I’ve always believed that the correct way forward is not massive, centralised sources, but decentralisation. Each household being able to generate its own power will be a wonderful achievement.
138 Comments to “Solar power breakthrough”
February 12, 2006
I haven’t read all the sources you quote Ian, but when I built my house about 5 years ago in Botswana (before I moved to the USA) I dearly wanted to be independant of the BPC (Botswana Power Commision) grid. Since Botswana has a great many sunlight days per annum I figured this would be pretty easy to do. It turned out that the cost of solar power at that time was roughly three times more expensive than getting on the traditional grid. This was based on calculating the costs over 5, 10 and 15 year periods. It turned out that the single biggest cost was not the panels themselves but the batteries. The batteries need to be replaced every few years and at a very high cost. (The lifespan being if I recall around 5 years at best). The panels at that time had a slightly longer lifespan but also needed to be replaced every few years. Then there was the issue of the BPC not having any facility for feeding the grid in times of excess charge. In the US and other countries, the power suppliers allow you to reverse run your meter when you are not drawing from their power and actually sell your excess power to them. In Botswana at the time any such suggestion was met with amazement and I bet it is the same with ESKOM today.
February 14, 2006
I agree with you, Ian, here in Scotland every building could have a little wind generator on top – ideally it should still be linked into a national grid, with a reverse run option as mentioned above.
And championing allotments so that people can grow there own food is a simple and cheap solution to problem of eating spinach that’s more well travelled than you are.
February 16, 2006
I recall a detailed description of the Vivian Albert’s panels in a Popular Mechanics edition in 2005. If it’s true I will definitely plaster my roof with the stuff, am already thinking about homebrew diesel too.
February 19, 2006
incidentally i was starting to research Eskom, thanks for the information!
April 1, 2006
Here’s another link on the same topic:
http://www.bautforum.com/showthread.php?t=37995
April 20, 2006
I would seriously like to get involved with Solar energy, and with an engineering background i cant wait to read more on the new developments!
February 13, 2007
all i am looking for is a point of sale
for these knew pannels
as far as i can make out sa’s are to dum
to make this pannel
its going to be made in germany
and its still going to cost a fortuin
April 27, 2007
RE: REQUEST FOR THE PURCHASE OF SOLAR PANELS CIF ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
We of MAGESTIC STORE wish to introduce ourselves to you as an established dealing General Merchandise, .We came accross your contact address from your website. Since we are dealing in solar panels,we came interested in starting to purchase the following from your trading company:
SOLAR PANELS 75 – 80 -85 -120 walts
GENERATORS 2.5KVA -5KVA
INVERTERS
Please urgently quote for us the prices of the above selected products in US Dollars CIF Entebbe Airport and others you have in stock.
Waiting for your quick and prompt reply.
Regards
IVAN
May 2, 2007
There is no payback or saving by using solar energy or collecting rain water in tanks from the roof. but we should all be commited to doing it, especially if we can teach our kids lessons in trying to save the enviroment, even if your refuse is seperated for recycling and it gets mixed up at the dump at least we have done our part. Every day we should be teaching our kids the value of saving energy and who knows but maybe one day some of them might invent or discover cleaner cheaper energy.
May 4, 2007
There was an article about Dr Alberts’ system in You magazine in March 2006 describing the instalation cost for a small home with a few lights appliances etc as expected to be in the region of R15 000.00 Since then I have not been able to find any more info on this system or it’s availability, other than the info that production was going to be in Germany. As an alternative to Eishcom’s service, has the SA consumer lost out?
May 16, 2007
Do you have a contact number where I can purchace this Solar panel
Thank You
June 2, 2007
When will these pannels be for sale?
Who will be the destibetors?
June 4, 2007
Seems like the wait is almost over.
The German company Johanna Solar (http://www.johanna-solar.com) estimates that they will start production mid to end 2007.
There might be a South African manufacturing plant, but who knows ? Most of the raw materials need to be imported from what I can understand – so it might just be cheaper to import the product.
June 26, 2007
I travel extensively throughout Natal SA to schools, clinics and hospitals in remote areas. There are literally millions of people out there with no electricity at all. It would be great to see a cheap option. Where can we get more details on this product?
August 23, 2007
i needaplce i can get soller system for my mom who is at the farm. I can buy one if possible
September 27, 2007
I’ve just looked on the http://www.johanna-solar.com website and there is info there that explain everything.
I’m looking forward to this product becoming available.
One quote from their site:
Johanna Solar Technology signs sales agreement with aleo solar AG
Brandenburg an der Havel, Oldenburg, 11th June 2007. Johanna Solar Technology GmbH has its first sales partner: aleo solar AG will market up to 80 per cent of the thin film solar modules from Brandenburg an der Havel under the name “aleo”.
October 26, 2007
I need solar panels to purchase in JBH SA. Ifthere is one that can lift two plate stove, fridge & gyeser for a 7 roomed house.
Regards
Tafadzwa
November 9, 2007
Dude, hang on to your socks.. not quite on the market yet! Do some research so long as to how best to store the electricity these systems will make… lol
I am sure they will include the complete system..?
November 20, 2007
For your info, I work for a large SA petroleum company and we are very committed to finding alternative mechanisms wrt providing energy to the country. There is much research and intelligent thinking happening behind closed doors – the problem is that there is, as yet, no alternative energy source available (known to man) that will provide the kind of safe, efficient and effective energy release that fossil fuel does. Don’t be so quick to judge the industry. Rather look to why the motor car manufacturers are refusing to come to the table with electric/other cars. In the meantime, we continue to search desperately for ideas.
December 5, 2007
need more info on how many solar pannels and cost if i want to power a house with pool ext
December 7, 2007
I am involved in selling these new panels.The first shipment will be here in february at witch time we will convert a standard 3 bedroom house to solar power.I will keep you informed on our progress and will soon have a price list available.
December 7, 2007
I am very interested in these products. Please send me info as soon as it is available.
December 7, 2007
we plan to move to mozambique and are very interested in this kind of thing
December 11, 2007
My company has been importing these panels for a good few years. We also stock the inverters and the back-up batteries.
Please feel free to drop me an email
for any queries and we will gladly try to assist you.
Regards
Y M DENATH
AL-SUKKAR TRADING
JOHANNESURG
SOUTH AFRICA
yunus@worldonline.co.za
December 12, 2007
I also would like to find out how one can purchase this in South Africa, as the local electricity suppliers in SA has now introducted load sharing where you never sure when your turn is. Down time on power in areas at least twicw a week now.
December 19, 2007
When will the solar panels be available for purchase?
From what lox said,” S.A’s to dum to build it” I think not. We are a lot more clever than people give us credit for, the reason we are not building any is because the government is too afraid to venture into this since they already hold a major stock in Eskom. As far as I’m concerned we have the resources, the man power( I’m one of them) and defintely the skill. I bet my life on it.
January 2, 2008
Hi guys,
Seeing that we have the skill, resources and manpower, why are we not producing this ourselves, what is the hold up???
I have very little knowledge about this but I definitely see great value in getting solar power, in fact I would like to get involved in selling solar power systems here in South Africa.
It’s the start of a new year, lets be pioneers and get this off the ground asap!!!
Have a great day.
Regards
Clint
January 7, 2008
I am very interested in these products. Please send me info as soon as it is available. Thanks
January 8, 2008
Cripes ppl! Don’t you research and read properly?
There are plans for an SA plant which should be completed this year (2008) and start production upon completion.
The raw materials are available in South Afica, however the manufacturing equipment is not.
This link contains the above mentioned information:
http://cooltech.iafrica.com/features/508858.htm
This link is to the wiki that contains a number of resources:
http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Vivian_Alberts_thin_film_solar
If Joey Mosert, who posted earlier, isn’t talking rubbish then it would be best to contact him if you are interested in purchasing these units.
Cheers,
Alan
January 9, 2008
I am equally interested in knowing contact details of the manufacturers or ditributors of Dr Alberts product. Please advise.
January 11, 2008
I AM INTERESTED TO GET THE CONTACT NUMBERS WERE I CAN PURCHES AS WELL AS GET DETAILES IN BECOMING A DISTRIBUTOR OF THE SOLAR PANELS
REGARDS
DES S
January 15, 2008
To set up a system just for power outages is very expensive. Unless you do it for other reasons as well. To run a stove and a geyser from a solar system would require a HUGE panel- and battery array.
Read more at:
http://www.kgelectric.co.za/news.htm
For the people enquiring to sell the product or become a distributor – see the following link :
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=114626
Quote from article :
“To enable entry into the right markets, JST has signed a strategic sales and distribution agreement with solar-module manufacturer Aleo for the worldwide distribution of its products. Aleo has a 19% interest in JST.
JST has the legal right to issue sublicences anywhere in the world, excluding Africa and offshore islands.”
And to the person thinking we (South Africans) are too dumb – think again – after all the technology was developed … in South Africa. The only reason why it is manufactured in Germany is for financial reasons – at least that is what I gathered from the original article in the Popular Mechanics SA.
January 17, 2008
Load shedding:
Everybody seems to think it is a joke but after today’s news release that the situation will be resolved in 5 to 7 years it is clearly a disaster.
Soccer World cup in darkness!
Generators and Power plants do take a long time to build.
Time to think about Eco power?
Wind and Sun.
The idea of switching off geysers is great but:
Millions of houses in South Africa are empty during the day not consuming electricity at all.
What if they had a Solar Panel or a Windmill, not to supply power to their own battery rack, but to feed it back into the Eskom network?
Can be implemented almost immediately.
Increasing effects will show on a daily basis.
No import taxes on Eco electricity projects.
No government tenders to support the gravy train and slow down the process.
Individuals and companies that wish to participate can deduct it from tax!!
Power fed back into the network is deducted from the electricity bill.
Jobs for many, small and medium enterprise opportunities rather than large enterprise to implement and service.
A showcase to the world maybe if handled correctly?
January 17, 2008
Good Idea actually..
Only problem is this is South Africa. The panels will start getting stolen from your house etc.
That and SA is quite useless
January 17, 2008
Are these new panels available in SA? Who are the distributors? Contact details?
January 18, 2008
Fantastic stuff indeed
Being a distributor in KZN would be great. Imagine low cost housing with enough panels to power a few lights at night
Shine on, S.A!
January 18, 2008
Hi, Hopefully the cost of suitable batteries will also come down?
January 19, 2008
I am interested in the contact numbers were I can purchase the solar panels as wel become a distributor
January 19, 2008
Im very interested in distributing solar panels, pls send me contact numbers.
January 19, 2008
Another exciting new technology: silicon nanowire batteries.
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2008/january9/nanowire-010908.html
As long as they aren’t also 10x as expensive.
January 19, 2008
I am moving to the karoo and would be definitely interested in your product
January 20, 2008
Hi All,
I was chatting about the issue of load shedding and solar energy with someone yesterday. I live on a game farm in Zululand and the shedding is a real problem for me.
Most of the people around me are going for generator backup. While relatively cheap to buy they are expensive to run.
I heard of a local farmer running his entire household on solar power including things like pool pumps and electric lawn mowers. Apparently the outlay was R150,000 but I am not sure how much poser he generates/stores. It is something I intend investigating very soon.
I am certainly interested in trying to convert to Solar and gas (my stove is already gas and is very cost effective).
I’ll try and keep this site posted with developments as I investigate.
Regards
Richard
January 20, 2008
Hi,
I am interested in becoming a distributer. Please send me the relevant information.
Regards,
Attie v Wyk
January 21, 2008
If you look at this site, you quickly get an idea of the issues involved.http://www.solar-panel.co.za/solar-power-calculator.htm
For a simple configuration to power a house, typically not for a load shedding situation, but a continuous power situation you apparently need quite a bit of kit!
House:
10 x 12Watt lights, 10 hrs
2 x 250W TVs – 6 hours
1 x 250W Fridge
You need:
30 x 75Watt solar panels
10 x 20Amp solar regulators
16 x 105Ah deep cycle batteries
1 x 1000Watt inverter (DC to AC)
The idea would be to pay for the system using savings from electricity not used from the grid. The above configuration would probably draw only R200 worth of electricity if that much.( the R200 I take from my son’s bill for his flat, where they also have an electric stove, some PCs, geyser, etc.)
Just the batteries, I heard from some people who installed them, is around R1500 per battery, and yes you need to replace it after a few years(4 to 5)
16 Batteries alone will cost you R24,000. If you compare that to R2400 per year in electricity you cannot make this anyway near affordable.
Then you also have to deal with storage for the kit. 30 panels will take a lot of space!
It might however be the “right” solution for a low density area, where power cable theft is an issue, and where new connections will be a problem.
I think a lot of the comments above have not studied the realities as yet. The panels are just a small part of the cost, if they are as cheap as planned. And while it is great that we do have this advance, it will not really help Eskom.
Much more can apparently be done by installing gas stoves and solar geysers, since these are the biggest drain on the network from a residential perspective, then change the light bulbs, and then use a small generator coupled to some batteries to provide continuous power just for the load sharing times.
Also, if more business/industrial areas can be provided with generators, then maybe we can get a better load sharing scheme, and not effect our complete daily movements.
I feel that Eskom, since it cannot provide continuous power, which is is assigned responsibility, should be made responsible to somehow subsidise the installation of all the new generators required and the same should go for the operational costs. Then again, it would not translate to a penalty for them, as it will ultimately just come from our own pockets in terms of either tax or tariff increases.
Hope to see some solutions shortly. Eskom is not thinking at all, they just react.
January 22, 2008
Hi There,
Also Interested in becoming a Distributor. If anyone knows any details on this, please send me Information,
Regards,
Theo Koekemoer
January 22, 2008
I have just started looking at inverter/solar charger/battery and found one company but so far seem too shy to reply. Retirement homes/residences require approx 5 lights and power for the tv which will make life a lot more comfortable for older folk but the system must be affordable. A very interesting site. Thanks
January 23, 2008
I need to purchase the new solar panels as developed by Prf Vivian Alberts now. Who are the local agents such that I can purchase
January 23, 2008
The best investment is to do market research on the area you live. if you can find a house that is connected to the same line as a big industrial company (that just will not be left in the dark).. problem solved. no load shedding here
January 23, 2008
I am interested in Prof. Alberts time macine eer I mean solar panel – Also Interested in becoming a Distributor. If anyone knows any details on this, please send me Information
January 24, 2008
We are very keen to get hold of the solar pannels. We are also very interested in the wind generators. Please can you give me the contact numbers for suppliers in South Africa, and if there are any in Cape Town.
January 24, 2008
After reading through these comments i realise that many will be taken advantage of because of their lack of knowledge on what the requirements are to set up a solar type power solution.
Please use google or whichever and learn before you pay !
January 25, 2008
I’m busy with the planning of revamping my house, build in 1965.
I’m redoing it completly with a budget of +- R 500k. Included in this price is money to be totally independant from Eishcom……..
Please help
January 26, 2008
I came onto this site by accident.
Some very interesting comments.
Let me drop a spanner in the works. I’m an accreddited electrician, which used to work for SA’s biggest Telecommunication Company, not mentioning names.I do have my own business now.We installed thousands of Solar Dect Tower systems( 15-20m Mast Towers with a 6m platform from ground level) in the rural areas.As far back as from before the first elections.Mainly to provide the community with basic communication needs.These Dect towers make use of either a 12 or 48 voltage supply,Solar Panels, solar regulator + 6v Gell Sealed Batteries coupled accordingly. The amount of Panel + Batteries installed per site varied from 6 panel to 24 panel configurations.
To get to the point. The biggest problem that we have experience,and they still do today, is the African continents nightmare……THEFT.More than a million rands a month worth of panels and batteries alone, excluding switching equipment damaged,labour to re-do the installation etc, six meters above ground we made use of special ladders, the aliens, made theis own plans,knock a tree or two down,manufacture a quick ladder according to spec, and Bobs your uncle.We have tried everything from theft proof solar structures(glueing the panels into the structures using “windscreen glue,to 6mm lockable galvanized battery boxes.This did put the aliens back a bit,when they could not get the panels out any more,they just smashed them.Some of the steel battery boxes they chiselled open.What do you think is going to happen where you can climb onto roofs within a blink. Those days the panel were retailing for about R2500ea, and the 6v battery blocks R1500ea.
Comments would be appreciated
January 28, 2008
Thanks for the article. While I am sure there will be problems I beleive it is in our own interests to do what we can to make life easier and to aleviate the problems that arise from blackouts and general shortage of electricity. Gas for cooking is most certainly a viable option while solar heating is a good first step. I believe that if we do not do something we will suffer the consequences and then we have nobody to blame but ourselves. It is always a problem when one relies on government to provide what we need.
January 29, 2008
We are a large manufacturing company.We build and supply electrical distribution boards to various small,medium and large customers.We would like to introduce solar power technology to our client base by becoming a supplier.
February 1, 2008
Looking for information and price on solar panels for house.
February 1, 2008
I am a industrial plumber as well as domestic and see a vast scope in solar heating not only for homes but also hotels where large boiler systems are used. There is massive demand for systems like what your are talking about all that is needed is for someone to inform plumbers like myself.
February 4, 2008
We decided to start a website aimed at constructively addressing the problem, getting people involved and seeking solutions and alternatives…
Feel free to visit http://www.shedhappens.co.za. The site has only been running for a week now, but we honestly believe that it has a lot of potential to become a valuable nationwide tool in solving this problem.
Pointing fingers at this stage will not help us. We must look at sustainable long term solutions.
Rian Groenewald
January 2008
February 4, 2008
I am an electrical contractor and would like to reicieve all the relevant details to become a didtributor!
February 5, 2008
Why can’t the use of Ripple Receivers be more effectively and widely used? At present, many municipalities use them just to switch the geysers off at peak periods.
Instead of just the above, and in place of (complete cut-off) load shedding they could instead, switch to a lower amperage (master) circuit breaker allowing a maximum of say, 2 or 5 amps so that essential low current items could still be used. They can even be programmed to sound a warning alarm before switching. Wiring of premises could also be altered, dividing circuitry into low and high current sections to alleviate having to switch off high wattage items to avoid the master breaker tripping.
It would also encourage users to increase their usage of lower powered items eg light bulbs, lower wattage microwaves etc
February 10, 2008
Solar panels.-Cost for a system for a house 2 geysers, 5 fridges and 10 light bulbs.(15 wt)
quote 2- 1 fridge, 1geyser and 2 light bulbs. complete system.
February 12, 2008
I would like to purchase the new solar panels as developed by Prf Vivian Alberts now. Who are the local agents?
February 16, 2008
I would like to purchase the new solar panels as developed by Prf Vivian Alberts. Who are the local agents?
February 16, 2008
Where will these panesl be available. Who can I contact for a quote.
February 20, 2008
see copy of message from Germany re Prof V Alberts technology!
—–Original Message—–
> From: Traemann Heide
> [mailto:Traemann@johanna-solar.com]
> Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2007 3:26 PM
> To: gardendesign@irene-village.co.za
> Subject: AW: enquiry from South Africa
>
> Dear Mr. Labenicht,
>
> sorry, but I’m not allowed to give the conctact from
> Prof. Alberts. You
> can
> imagine that he is very busy these days, ramping up
> the production line
> in
> Brandenburg and planning a new facility in South
> Africa.
> As mentioned in my email before, the facility in
> South Africa is still
> in the
> planning phase.
> If the facility will be realized, soonest time for
> production start will
> be
> in 2010.
> We are not allowed by the PTIP, a spin-off of the
> University of
> Johannesburg, to sell our modules in Africa.
>
> Mit freundlichen Grüßen/ Kind regards,
>
> Heide Traemann
> Unternehmenskommunikation/Corporate Communication
>
> Durchwahl: Tel./ Fax: – 127/-227
> Mobil: +49 151 58256000
>
> –
>
>
>
> Johanna Solar Technology GmbH
>
> Tel. +49 3381 7975 – 0
> Münstersche Straße 24
>
> Fax +49 3381 7975 – 222/212
> 14772 Brandenburg an der Havel
>
> http://www.johanna-solar.com
>
>
>
> Geschäftsführer:
>
> HR AG Potsdam B 20054
> Jeroen Haberland (CEO)
>
> USt-IdNr. DE246001886
> Matthias Baumann(CFO)
>
>
> Gunnar Flenner(CTO)
>
>
>
>
>
> —–Ursprüngliche Nachricht—–
> Von: Irene-Village
> [mailto:gardendesign@irene-village.co.za]
> Gesendet: Freitag, 26. Oktober 2007 09:03
> An: Traemann Heide
> Betreff: RE: enquiry from South Africa
>
> Dear Heide,
> Thank you for your prompt reply. I am thrilled to
> hear Prof Alberts will
> be involved in the S.A. production. Do you know how
> soon this will be
> and would you be so kind as to copy me contact
> information for Prof
> Alberts. As we are about to install the electrical
> provision for our new
> home I would like to make sure we do it the best way
> possible for the
> solar technology in question.
> Kind regards,
> Helen Lachenicht.
February 29, 2008
Mavlis Energy is an alternative energy company.Our leading product at the moment is ethanol gel.
I am looking for an established solar panel manufacturer or distributor for which I can be an agent.I have had too many enquiries to pass this opportunity.
My number is 0746148806
Kind regards
Lizwi Ndamase
March 15, 2008
To much talk will help nobody. Lets make plans and implement it and help others to cope with our problem(s).
1. Ripple relays for geysers and for underfloor heating.
2. Underfloor heating might be wonderfull but is realy the most uneficient way of heating. Should only be installed on top of thermal isolation. Get a municipal regulation in this regard. (A law)
3. Shops have lights (even 400W) burning every night. Some even over weekends 24hr per day continiously. Fine those and or publish there names on TV and other media.
4. Get Solar water heating going at an accelerated pace. The companies is taking the public for a ripoff at present with their prices. AND where is the so called subsidies. It will help Escom a lot in monetary and capacity terms if geysers can be solar devices. It should help in the region of 50% of the domestic consumption. Many companies claim they must train there technicians…utter nonsens….No special training other than an information sesion of one or two hours are needed.
5. Streetlights. Consideration should be given to use lower wattage or less lamps. In some cases every second or third lamp can be removed.
6. Goverment and Municipal buildings ignore the switching off of lights not being used. That is a fact in my hometown(city) during day-hrs and night-hrs. It must be thousands of lights.
7. Do not spend money on solar cells for intersection robots for the purpose of saving energy. It can however be usefull to ensure continuity of trafic regulation/controll during blackouts at important crossings. Remember, it will be stolen and or vandalised. It will be much better to make that vast amounts of money available to susidise solar geysers that will help Escom and indirectly save money.
March 18, 2008
This article was originally published on page 5 of The Star on January 26, 2008
There is light at the end of the tunnel – and it’s not being generated by Eskom but rather by revolutionary solar-powered technology developed by University of Johannesburg professor Vivian Alberts.
He has spent the past 13 years developing highly advanced photovoltaic, or thin-film, solar panels that could be the solution to South Africa – and the world’s – scramble for power.
The panels are already being constructed by Johanna Solar Technology (JST) in Brandenburg, Germany, and will go on sale in Europe this year.
According to JST, current solar modules convert only direct sunlight into electrical energy, but thin-film solar modules convert any light across the spectrum into electricity – generating power even under low-light conditions.
Due to the construction of the cells, comparatively high yields can be obtained even under partially shaded or overcast conditions.
Alberts, interviewed in Germany this week, said plans to make the photovoltaic panels commercially available in South Africa were at an advanced stage and there would be a major announcement at the end of March about when they would go on sale.
Alberts said agreements had been signed with major investors and they were in the process of finalising agreements with banks for the funding, which prevented him from giving further details on the sale dates.
JST reportedly has seven shareholders, including South Africa’s state-owned Central Energy Fund and private investors Richemont, VenFin and Anglo Coal.
Alberts has already identified a site for a factory in Cape Town and has designed the factory building where the photovoltaic solar panels will be designed.
He said production would be well below the current price of solar panels – at least 50 percent cheaper than anything that is commercially available at present.
Based on improved temperature coefficients – which means lower performance losses at high temperatures – thin-film modules were especially suited to temperatures over 25°C, which was the case in South Africa, he added.
The new thin-film solar modules are based on a wafer-thin, semiconducting absorber layer made of copper, indium, gallium, sulphur and selenium, and are just half the thickness of a human hair and almost a hundred times thinner than a silicon cell.
JST spokesperson Heide Traemann said the Brandenburg factory’s target was to produce about 500 000 panels a year.
“We now have 90 people working for JST. We are not producing yet but are currently focusing on the so-called ‘process set-up’, which means the qualification of machines. Once this is completed, production will begin.”
Hermann Iding, spokesperson for Aloe-Solar, the German company which will distribute the panels in Europe, said they were preparing for the launch of the thin-film modules later this year.
This article was originally published on page 5 of The Star on January 26, 2008
March 24, 2008
First off, thanks for a very informative site. It is the end of the piece of string I need to start my own search.
Secondly thankyou to those who took the time to make a meaningful!!! contribution with practical inputs and web sites.
Finally a question. Solar power seems good but costly and still open to practcal problems.
Gas and solar heating are ecofriendly and more economical.
Generators are practical,reasonibly priced,but costly to run and definitely
not environmentally friendly.
Question: Are there gas driven generators or can the existing ones be economically converted?
John
March 31, 2008
Please send me more info on how to use solar energy for farm use. Thanx
April 2, 2008
The February 2006 IOL story that sparked this thread was followed a week later by a story in which Professor Alberts confidently envisaged that complete systems (i e panels, converers AND batteries) would become available in South Africa within a year, i e Feb/March 2007). He even hazarded a prediction of what various-sized installations would cost – something in the order of R40 000 for a large luxury house (generating about 3kW), R13000 for a smaller house (about 1kW) and R4000 for a small, poor household (about 50 watts) …. with a R2000 government subsidy already being availabe for solar installations, a poor household could be equipped for R2000.
Two years have flown by since Prof Alberts made that prediction to Willem Steenkamp in Independent Newsapers. Something must have happened to slow down his bullish roll-out predictions, as all that appears to have happened since then is identification of a site for starting local manufacture.
One would think that SOMEONE in government would by now have recognised the potential of Prof Alberts’s invention and got Eskom to throw money at it. Instead of budgeting R120-billion for a second nuclear power station sometime after 2010, just think how many solar installations could have been subsidised with that kind of money, designed to generate more power than each household needed, which surplus could have been sold to Eskom on a feed-in basis. Not only would this lighten the load on Eskom, but it would also provide it with more reserves to service the remaining demand.
Even if the costs weren’t as attractive as Alberts has suggested, there’s the added benefit of large-scale planet-friendly harnessing of a clean, renewable energy source that would earn huge kudos for South Africa.
Seems to me some kind of campaign is needed in this regard.
April 7, 2008
A bit of the track or stream:
I own property next to a river which according to history has never being dry. Now I want to use the river for power generation using a flotation device (pontoon) from which a propellor or wheel is suspended, thus driving a generator on top. Now these systems are available in Australia, America, Britain and Belgium. The most succesful one being the darrius turbine type. With this type you do not even need a head of water for propulsion!
Now we South African have brains, Yes! Is there someone out there who can assist or point me into the right direction re generators to use (overseas they mostly use a magneto type generator) but I am sure others will do.
According to one company’s claim one small darrius wheel can produce sufficient power to power 2 complete houses.
I will appreciate any help to design a system for use on my property. IE how to bleed of and sispose of unused power, some type of control system to brake the wheel if required lest it run away in a flood for instance. Control panel and so on – unfortunately my electrical brain cells are lacking
Thanx in advance
BenJ
April 28, 2008
You can contact me regarding using solar panels to power your house, and recharge battery simultaneously.
May 11, 2008
Stop talking , where do we buy???
May 13, 2008
If you need to buy solar panels, please feel free to contact me. We manufacture and sell most of solar panels in Europe, because we didn’t have market in Africa most in particular South Africa.
Feel free to contact me on my E-mail.
May 23, 2008
If you want a solar panel, go to the markets in Mozambique where they sell them next to the soap, shoes and coconuts (they had the telcom logo on; they are probably the same ones that belonged to the guy called Alien Factor). They go for cheap, but you’ll have to keep buying your own stuff back:) Not very viable and in the end, more frustrating than Eishkom. Maybe in residential areas its won’t be stolen so quickly, but that is some very expensive equipment that you’ll be leaving on your roof for all to see. Considering the effort that cable thieves put into taking copper worth a couple of hundred bucks, I doubt expensive solar panels will be all that safe. All that said, I really do hope it becomes an option for every household to own one day. We need clean energy!
May 25, 2008
Hi Lwazi Mato
Please contact me via my email = welgemm@telkomsa.net asap
Would like to speak to you regarding s/panels etc,
Regards
Marius Welgemoed
May 27, 2008
Dear Sir,
We are looking for a partner of marketing and the introduction of solar panels in Africa, for major production from 1 to 5 Megawatts.
We are an engineering company in the treatment of drinking water and we intend to create several production units of drinking water in North Africa, using solar energy.
If you are interested in this collaboration, and only if you are a manufacturer of solar panels, please contact us in the return.
In the meantime, and thanking you,
Best regards.
June 20, 2008
Hi,
When will the panels Prof Alberts develped be on the market in Germany. And in In South Africa and where will I be able to buy it?.
Regards
June 24, 2008
Annchen, the company making the panels in Germany is Johanna-Solar. Try speaking to Heide Traemann (Traemann@johanna-solar.com). Other contact details:
Heide Traemann
Unternehmenskommunikation/Corporate Communication
Durchwahl: Tel./ Fax: – 127/-227
Mobil: +49 151 58256000
–
Johanna Solar Technology GmbH
Tel. +49 3381 7975 – 0
Münstersche Straße 24
Fax +49 3381 7975 – 222/212
14772 Brandenburg an der Havel
http://www.johanna-solar.com
July 1, 2008
i got your web through searching, am having electronic idear so am looking forward to get more knoledge on electronics and am intrested this sollar generator, i belief you can make my dream come true, am a NIGERIAN guy looking forward to fultur.
thanks
July 11, 2008
Dear sir/madam
Good days to you,well i would like to buy some solar panel from your stores and advise on shipping to Entebbe Air Port Kampala Uganda with the prefered modes of payments. Hopping for your positeve response
Regards
Bukenya Maurece
simon agencies city house building
p.o box 6694 plot 14 william street
+256 752 596944
September 2, 2008
Thin-film solar panels for permanent installation can be bought from bushpower.co.za and rentech.co.za. If you’re after portable thin-film panels for camping or spending time in the bush go to thinfilmsolar.co.za. They also have 5W and 10W thin-film solar panels.
October 20, 2008
I HAVE BEEN READING ALL THE ABOVE LETTERS FOR THE PAST HOUR . THE WAIT IS OVER . I TOO HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR PROF. ALBERTS TO DO HIS THING . BUT HAVE GIVEN UP WAITING .
I HAVE ORDERED 10 X SOLAR KITS , WITH THIN FILM SOLAR PANNELS , TO START MY BUSINESS SELLING THESE . EACH KIT IS MADE UP OF THE FOLLOWING : 8 x LED LIGHTS , 80Ah BATTERY , 80W P.V.PANEL , 10A REGULATOR .FROM CHINA .
I AM GOING TO INSTALL THIS KIT AT MY HOUSE IN NORWOOD , JHB . AND GET AWAY FROM ESKOM FOR MY HOME LIGHTING . OF COURSE I WILL GET AN INVERTER FOR MY KITCHEN + TV SETS .
I ALREADY HAVE A BUSINESS INSTALLING GEYSER BLANKETS WHICH SAVE 27% OF MY HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICITY BILL .
I AM LOOKING FOR 5 X DISTRIBUTORS .
THE COST OF MY KITS ARE R 7,500 EACH
ANYONE INTERESTED ?
RICHARD ROTHBART CELL : 074 100 5457
October 21, 2008
The “thin-film” solar panels mentioned by Morrison above do not appear to me to be the CIGS panels developed by Prof Vivian Alberts at the University of Johannesburg. As far as I can gather from the websites, they are silicon-based. The point about the post that sparked this thread is that Alberts’s CIGS thin-film panels are not only more efficient than silicon panels, they are also significantly cheaper. On top of that, the CIGS material (composed of copper, indium, gallium and selenium)can be taken from the panels after their projected lifespan of 20 years, and recycled into new panels.
November 27, 2008
So after all the long winded comments and various suppositions what the hell happened to the thin solar panels anyway, I think that “ET” got them too.
But on a more serious note did it all end with the last comment by Leon Du Plessis on 21/10/2008, because we should all be helping each other in this, perhaps we should try to get a consortium going see me on BIZWAVE
December 6, 2008
Johanna Solar of Germany released a press release to inform us that they started production of these panels and starting to market in their summer but seems that we are not their market but rather germany france and italy .Why are we not even mentioned? after all it is a South African invention.
December 8, 2008
Johanna Solar told me some time ago that the conditions of their licence from University of Johannesburg prevented them from selling the panels outside Europe. But they assured me that Prof Alberts was on the point of starting local manufacture (in SA). Some weeks later Alberts was quoted in a local newspaper as saying suitable premises had been acquired his somewhere in the Cape, but there’s been no word since then.
January 12, 2009
Whether your concern is financial or environmental, this is a place where Im sure you all would appreciate this:
Synopsis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist_addendum
Video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912
If you are using Firefox, once the movie has been 100% buffered, you can find the actual movie file in this directory:
C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\a4yw03bk.default\Cache
I have checked the box below, i will be notified of any followup comments… so please, i’d love to read what you thought!
February 3, 2009
Hi.. Just looking on the forum… apparently here is where one can apply for distribution rights.
http://www.globalsolar.com/products/wheretobuy.php
February 11, 2009
Hi all,
I have lived off grid for ten years. Very doable IF you are prepared to adjust lifestyle and practice personal load shedding when the sun does not shine for weeks on end, such as lately.
Unfortunately 6 panels were stolen off the roof on Monday. Uninsured, replacement cost about R30 000.
The Police have not bothered to respond to date (Wednesday afternoon). The thieves were observed loading the loot into a vehicle on Tuesday evening, IF the police was not incompetent, the panels could have easily been retrieved and the criminals apprehended. As it is, the same people WILL steal more panels in future, destroying any hope of a growing solar power industry.
!!Africa would thrive, but for greed!!
As for Prof Alberts thin film technology, no electrical performance data has been published to date. Don’t hold your breath.
February 12, 2009
Did anyone made contact with Prof Alberts to find out when they will start with production in SA?
February 19, 2009
I need to develop about 5000 low cost housing (more to come) and would like water heating to be complete solar driven.
I have 2 choices.
1. Buy/import complete system and install
2. Buy components, get small factory started and assemble self, and install.
Second option seems better as I can develop this in a little stand alone business eventually.
Anybody got any ideas where I start?
Johnny@adept.co.za
May 5, 2009
In need of 75W modules x32 of. Could anyone please assist, regarding best brand quality or equvalent prize wise. Regards; Phillip
May 10, 2009
Hi Phillip, we have surplus 50W panels, used for 3-4 years. Going at 1/2 price ie. R1799-00 p/50W panel.
May 10, 2009
Tel: +27832555745
May 12, 2009
Hi Phillip, call me 084 808 0443, provide source for locally manufactured Tenesol panels, 80W, i have just purchased 14! actual rating 82.5 W 20-25 year lifespan.
June 9, 2009
Hi there I am from Knysna. We are looking for 40 watt solar panels. We want to buy in large quantities. Please call me 044 382 1310 or 076 106 0000.
Regards Lynn
June 25, 2009
I have a client in Nigeria who want to patner with any company that produces solar geyser more especialy a south African company.Please direct me to a prospective company
June 25, 2009
u call me on my south african phone :declan +27714889915 or my contact in Nigeria with :alfred +2348036711267
June 25, 2009
am in need of solar panels for domestic lighting and heating. Please Rob if you still selling I will contact you.
July 20, 2009
I am looking to market solar power to farmers in my area and am in need of a reliable and reputable supplier of solar components. I also need a bit of training in this field. Can anyone help? Pls email me on conductors@mweb.co.za
July 21, 2009
I am looking to start my own IPP on my farm and sell back to eskom does any one know the steps involved and possibly the suppliers i can contact in order to get this on the go.
July 26, 2009
I found this at the UJ website ( copy and paste )
SASOL is expected to announce the go-ahead of a large plant to make thin-film solar energy panels based on technology developed by Professor Vivian Alberts of the Urnversity of Johannesburg.
August 25, 2009
i have a large project to install these solar panels to a settlement in tabina limpopo. my adress is tholang7@yahoo.com.who knows a good price and is looking for a bussiness venture???. must know about power consumption and how the whole system works.
August 26, 2009
does anybody know what the Refit price is for energy generated “privately” and fed into the grid? Would one need a generating license if you were to start up a solar power station privately?
September 9, 2009
cant find decent electric panels for decent prices.only for rich people.33rand per watt is the best price i can find so far for a grade panel.will prices come down in near future.let me know.thanks
October 14, 2009
Can someone please advise me on the best all round brand of solar panels and nessacary equipment available in SA to power an average 3 bedroom residental home. My husband and myslef run a company building Timber Homes based in Natal and we would be interested in becoming agents for solar panels as well as installing our own home with solar power. Look forward to your comments.
October 15, 2009
Pieter, Philtron in Pretoria is selling 14.8W panels for R299. Add was in Beeld.
October 15, 2009
Bridget,
Powering an ‘average’ 3 bedroom home can cost more money than you can count. Making it affordable requires a lifestyle adjustment.
All heating should be done with solar water or gas.
The most critical and expensive part is the battery and it’s management. Cheap batteries will not last long.
Your best Rand/Watt value is currently from Sanyo 200W panels, and you need a good number of them.
You also require a good quality charger and inverter, as well as a backup generator and charger for rainy periods.
Don’t bother with R299 14W panels, they will give you 9W at best and usually 6W, waste of time and money for your purpose.
Don’t take this personally, but no-one without proper technical expertise and experience should ever be an agent for these products. There is more to it than you may imagine, and much disappointment results from improper advice.
October 16, 2009
Helmut,
You said a lot of thinks without saying anything.
First – Powering an ‘average’ 3 bedroom home can cost more money than you can count. What do you meant?
It will cost more or less what, R2, R2000, R20 000, R200 000,R2 000 000.It would be nice if somebody who seems to now whould give us some figures.
Secondly – you gave no indication of the rand/watt value of the Sanyo 200W panels.You need a good number of them (again 10, 100, 1000)
Thirdly – You don’t need a backup generator if you can just flip a switch and use Eskom power when needed.
Lastly – No-one without proper technical expertise and experience should ever be an agent for these products.
Who would make someone an agent without giving him proper technical expertise and experience?
That is why questions are asked this page so people can
understand a new product better.
October 18, 2009
Jaco, there is no need to be tetchy.
I was answering Bridgets very general questions in a very general manner. Read the question again. It made no reference to Escom. How much power does an average 3 bedroom home use ? What is the profile ? How many people live in it ? How many children ? How many freezers, fridges, washing machines, Computers, printers, TV’s, hifi’s etc etc are used. What is each ones power rating ? On and on. How many sunshine days are in your area/year ? The number of variables in even guessing a Rand figure, or how many panels and batteries and their topology is vast. I know from living off-grid for ten years that a good number of panels are required for even the basics. A 2kW array will, for the average homeowner, require an adjustment of lifestyle. I would do no-one a favour by making such a guess.
Solar as an addendum to Escom is entirely different to ‘powering a home off solar’.
Bridget did not ask me for the Rand/Watt value, she asked about the best all round brand. I mentioned the brand that I have measured and experienced to provide me with the most power and longest lifetime for my Rand.
As regards providing a quote on behalf of other companies, that’s just silly. I gave a well informed hint which you could easily have followed up in the time it took to formulate your response.
No-one can give anyone experience, that is acquired through personal application and development of skill. Proper understanding of this rechnology requires engineering skills.
Solar technology is not at all new, silicon solar panels have been around for many decades and so have batteries.
In short, the only way to answer this question is by conducting a thorough survey, which requires time and skill, anything less renders a disservice.
And Jaco, your R299 14.8 Watt panel is by no means a-grade. It is very in-efficient and does not have a 20 or even 10 year lifespan. That is the kind of advice which leads to disappointment.
October 19, 2009
Again, you answer the question as if you have the info
but without giving any.
You should go into politics.
If you are living off-grid for ten years you are exactly the person to make a guess.
Something like I have so many freezers, fridges, washing machines, Computers, printers, TV’s, hifi’s etc and have a 2kW array and if works perfectly or you don’t have power half the night.
Solar technology is new for most people and the system from decades ago can not be compared to system from today especially the batteries. That is like comparing a longdrop with a flush toilet. Most people only now take notice because it will become cheaper than using Eskom
if Eskom gets it increases.
I’ll find out more about the R299 14.8w panel and post it here so you can make a more informed ripoff of the panel.
If was just and add a saw in Beeld, thats all.
October 19, 2009
Jaco, I don’t owe you anything.
I have given you plenty of passela information which you have lambasted. That information has cost me blood, sweat and tears to acquire and can save you much.
You don’t inspire me to throw my talents to the sows.
My resources are much better applied elsewhere.
October 19, 2009
MEANWHILE, guys, there seems to have been a positive development. See here:
http://www.peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Vivian_Alberts_thin_film_solar
and
http://www.uj.ac.za/news/LatestNews/tabid/3962/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/643/SA-boffins-solar-power-brainwave.aspx
Three years ago Alberts was making bullish predictions about the cost viability of CIGS. It would be interesting to hear projected cost comparisons for 2013, once Eskom’s third consecutive 32% increase has kicked in.
October 19, 2009
Sorry …. this the link I meant to send, dated 12th Oct 2009:
http://www.researchchannel.co.za/article.php?a_id=175219
October 20, 2009
“passela information which you have lambasted.”
No information was given, just the illusion that you
might have some that can be of use.
It seems we are going to wait a very long time for thin film panel in South Africa.
Some information of the German panels :
http://www.johanna-solar.com/en/downloads/Datenblatt_JST_V1.1EN_09-2009.pdf
This is the panels Philtron is selling:http://www.dako.co.za/amorphous.html
October 28, 2009
As someone who is also interested in obtaining energy from something else than Eskom, I have read tons of websites regarding alternative energy. I am still confused as a chameleon in a smartie box.
I have to concur with Helmut and say that there is just to many variables to consider, to answer these questions being asked here, in a blog format. One can give a “simple” answer like he tried to do or one can get very technical and provide hundreds of formulas to provide scientific evidence.
The whole energy situation is a lot like the crime situation. 1. A very unwanted expenditure and 2. the more the you spend the better your solution.
There is not one straight forward answer that fits all or most situations.
The thing that I find the saddest is that the human race must first run into a crisis before they decide to stop being wastefull in their ways and preserve more for the next generation!
October 29, 2009
After reading this blog I agree with Helmut. This Jaco Kruger guy sounds like the idiot that needs to be in parlament.
In order to make a proper assesment of a persons situation requires carefull assessment of that persons needs, resources and location.
A propper company wil come out and do a sight and load assessment in order to find out your consumption, as well as physical location of the building, roof pitch and aspect. Generally they will charge money for this which will be written off against the final cost of the instalation if the quotation is accepted.
Generally retail cost for silicone PV modules is in the regeon of R25 – R30 per watt. Installed cost will depend greatly on the quality of the battery but will be in the regeon of R53-40per watt. Totol watt peak requirment will be determined by the contractor who will do the load assesment
October 29, 2009
Tenesol Manufacturing manufactures solar modules here in Cape Town. If anyone needs some advice they are welcome to call me on 021 797 7377 or email on k.robinson@tenesol.com
October 29, 2009
James
I was looking for info from somebody that could and did an installation. There are websites that you can use to do a load assessment and decide if it is a option to explore. Most people are not the diy type and should us a contractor but some people can do things themselves.
Power from solar panels are more complicated than something like solar water heating that can definitely be done by a diy addict.
There is not much info on diy solar panel installation
because it is mostly an option for the rich only and the rich do not climb on a roof, they just pay somebody else to do it.
Solar panel insallation will become diy in South Africa like solar heating installation already is.
November 4, 2009
I also agree with Helmut. It’s a question of budget and case-by-case requirement. If you’re completely off-grid, the more you spend on batteries, the more available power you will have to last you in the rainy season. (A cheap generator might be a viable way to offset the prohibitive cost of batteries, though; but not your carbon footprint.)
I don’t have any direct experience with solar installations, but I did do a bit of research into it, and might be able to place an order when I need to. It’s not hard to do for yourself. Installing and actually wiring up series of panels and batteries to inverters and mains feed-in, though, would be an extremely daunting undertaking for most people.
Prices should come down before the kW/hr rate of Eskom’s becomes totally unaffordable, I guess. TFT and new developments with nano-particles and tubes should see significant price reductions in the medium term. (20 Years?)
I’m also not going out of my way to cite sources or recheck my estimates, but I recall that in California, powering a large family house with ±6kW/hr per day with an IPP grid feed-in and no stand-by battery backup was costing in the region of $30,000 – $40,000. Excluding the rebate.
Some indication of local prices for ±3kW/hr per day with ~4 days battery backup came out at R200 – R300,000 when I researched them a year ago.
The really important factor is not cost per kW, but cost per kW/hr. So it’s the cost of the panels and the batteries amortized over their lifetime.
Eskom currently charge:
Service charge R2.45 per day
Network Charge R3.04 per day
Environmental levy R0.02 per day
and roughly 50c per kW/hr.
An educated guess for a small household, with say 1 freezer, 1 fridge, kettle, iron, overnight lights, computers, TV, etc.. but alternative water heating and cooking, is about 600kW/hr per month, totaling about R300 tariff + R200 service fees.
With a bit of lifestyle adjustment one could conceivably get away with a 3kVA inverter and suitable array. A system that should keep you in power for about 4 days without sunshine could look something like this.
15 x 160w panels @ *guess* R7,000 each
8 x 6v, 1600 A/hr batteries @ *guess* R7,000 each
1 x 3kVA inverter @ *guess* R20,000
Equals about R181,000 excluding installation.
A 20 year lifespan on the panels and inverter, and a 6 year life on the batteries will give you a rough cost of 181,000/((20+6)/2)
or
181,000 / 13 years
which is an average cost of R13,923 a year… or in other words more than twice what Eskom is currently costing… with the service charges factored in.
This is a general indication (for Jaco Kruger and co) with dodgy math from cursory extrapolations from over a year ago; so I make no claim to accuracy.
Kindly correct me if I’m misunderstanding something.
November 5, 2009
Jeff
Thanks for all the info.
It seems that solar power is not worth it at the moment.
To cut the cost of you electric bill by about 35% on the average house if you go to solar waterheating and more if you are already on energy saving bulbs etc.
You can have a new installation for about R12000 or a Kwikhot conversion for about R9000(you can even get a rebate for Eskom of about R2000 but if would probably take forever to get).
If you have a electric bill of about R1500 then you will start saving in under 2 years. your saving will thien be more than you are payng now if Eskom gets it increases.
November 11, 2009
Hi all
I started reading at the top and then flipped down to the bottom, so I hope I’m not asking a question that has already been answered.
We are involved in an outreach program in a very remote area in Botswana without access to the BPC grid and one of their needs is a “new” solar pannel system. I read about the thin film technology and apparently the plant is currently being built in Paarl and will only be operational by Q4 2010. I would prefer going the thin film route, rather than the other way, since it is supposed to be a lot cheaper.
The problem is, we need the system much earlier than Q4 10, so can anyone recommend a company or a site comparing companies or systems where we can get an idea of costs. We already have a quote, but it is really expensive and we depend on donations for this.
November 12, 2009
Karin
I think you need to get in touch with the University of Johannesburg’s PR department and do a hard sell on them: even if Prof Alberts’s Paarl plant can’t roll out before Q4 next year, they should be able to set you up with units sourced from Johanna-Solar, the German company said to be making the panels for the European market. If Johanna-Solar IS already successfully making and marketing the systems, they would surely not pass up a golden global PR opposrtunity. Helping your programme out should earn equal kudos for UJ and Prof Alberts. It’s an ideal opportunity to show off the technology in practice, and get some idea of cost ramifications … if Eskom gets its 45% increase three years in a row, surely that must impact strongly on the economic viability of the panels. If I were you I would copy all correspondence with UJ to Johanna-Solar: Their PR person is Heide Traemann (Traemann@johanna-solar.com)… after asking them whether they ARE delivering the UJ-developed CIGSSe systems yet?
Good luck
November 12, 2009
Thank you for you valuable input, Leon. I will do so and keep you updated, if possible.
December 11, 2009
Hello Karin,
You can also have a look at Sanyo S.A.’s website: http://www.sanyosa.co.za there is some useful information on their site with respect to their HIT Solar technology and being a Japanese product, they are of substantial quality. Their offices are in Paulshoff, Sandton.
I think the engineer to speak to at Sanyo is “Win”. Maybe try and give them a shout i’m sure they’ll be of assistance to you.
Good luck.
Trevor
December 14, 2009
Thanks Trevor. I’ve had a few delays on my side so things are progressing very slowly. I hope to be back on track early in 2010. Will contact Sanyo as well and will give feedback on this.
Thanks again
Karin
December 18, 2009
I have done a cost comparison for solar water heating and on my R 245 pm electricity bill, the current purchasing and installation costs it makes the pay back period too long.
I have the same problem with gas. The present purchase price for gas in a 9 kg bottle is R 1.37 per kWh, but is it really that much more efficient?
Erik
February 18, 2010
Hello, I have read some coments here and some people have no idea or limited technical back rounds and are now saying its not worth it, my house runs on R100 a month, i have fitted solar panels that give me power when eskom is in the dark, the system worked so well i have started a small compnay and design systems for holiday houses and large houses in the city to farms it does work if done right!!!!
February 21, 2010
May we have contact details, Grant?
February 21, 2010
Any updates as to when these panels will be made available in SA?
February 25, 2010
Hi Grant I am interested to start my own company to install
solar panels at homes in West coast aria. Are you willing to talk business with me?
March 3, 2010
Hi Everybody!! Thanks for the wonderfull info. Eskom ****, if you know what I mean. Busy setting up my solar system now. Got one 80W and one 10W solar panel. Battery is 110Ah. Inverters, one 300W and one 150W. Hope this will carry my lighting.
Cheers
March 4, 2010
I loved the comments by “The Alien Factor” as that sums up the situation in SA for any assistance to rural indigent. With four successive Eishcom (Paincom, Vleiscom…you choose) increases in the region of 30% from 2009 to 2012 all South African citz paying tax will be supporting 20 Million indigents (same as govt. is doing with taxes in the form of grants)and it won’t end there. Between taxes and crime, the Rand earning citizen of this country will become poorer. And you will never build a wealthy nation by taking from the Haves to give to the HaveLots (Malemas etc??) and Havenots!
The solution is to get off the grid, out of the city and be independent (as far as the Municipal Rates Act will allow) to grow your own food, generate your own power and be happy. We have been busy for 5 years on our project to become self sustainable and we are 70% there at a rough estimate. We want to be making our own diesel by 2011.
To be power independent is to have a mix of systems to make power. Must have a descent generator running at 1500rpm max, at least one good wind turbine (buy Kestrel from PE), as much Solar panels as you can afford, gas for heating and cooking, build a fire water heater combined with gas, build a gas digester to make biogas (which you can use to power both your bakkie and you generator by the way!) and if you are as lucky as we are to have water in abundance (3 springs) then build water wheels to drive small generators (1kW each say) and before you know it the government lethargy and ineptitude won’t be a pain the *ss anymore.
Engineer your way to freedom by thinking, asking and working your plan to success!! I love my country and I like living in it – but that does not mean I have to pay others for their survival. And we are only two people in our retired household (but have age on our side as we are 98 years collectively.)
Anything is possible is you really want it! Peace of Mind was our choice.
April 2, 2010
SASOL is starting a PV factory – Good news, but very late?
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/sa-thin-film-solar-plant-may-be-operating-within-two-and-a-half-years-2009-11-20
July 23, 2010
I am in Joburg originally from Transkei Eastern Cape i would love to purchase the solar kit for my home but where?
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