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Solar Power Explained
Solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available, and Southern Africa has some of the richest solar resources in the world!
Solar power is energy generated from the sun in the form of electric or thermal energy. Solar energy is captured in a variety of ways, the most common of which is with photovoltaic solar panels that convert the sun’s rays into usable electricity. Aside from using photovoltaics to generate electricity, solar energy is commonly used in thermal applications to heat indoor spaces or fluids.
Residential and commercial property owners can install solar systems to fully take advantage of the sun's energy with solar technology.
Solar panels are installed at three main scales: residential, commercial, and utility.
Residential-scale solar is typically installed on rooftops of homes or in open land (ground-mounted) and is generally between 5 and 20 kilowatts (kW), depending on the size of a property.
Commercial solar energy projects are generally installed at a greater scale than residential solar. Though individual installations can vary greatly in size, commercial-scale solar serves a consistent purpose: to provide on-site solar power to businesses and non-profits.
Finally, utility-scale solar projects are typically large, several megawatt (MW) installations that provide solar energy to a large number of utility customers.
Solar Types
Off-grid Systems
Off-grid systems is perfect for rural locations or if you want to be totally self sufficient. Off grid systems main components consist of inverters, solar panels and battery storage.
Grid-tied Systems
With a grid tied system you save money by having Solar panel supplementing your electrical supply. Greatly reducing your electricity cost. These systems comes at low cost but do not supply you with electricity backup when the power goes out. Grid tied systems main components consist of inverters and solar panels.
Emergency Backup Systems
Emergency backup system will keep your light on when the grid goes down. Perfect for load shedding periods. Your backup time will depend on the amount of storage you have. The backup systems main components consist of a inverter and battery storage.
Hybrid Systems
Hybrid systems are perfect for saving you money on your electricity and giving you emergency backup when the grid goes down. The amount of backup time you will have will depend on amount of battery storage you have. Hybrid systems main components consists of inverters, solar panels and battery storage.
A Brief History of Solar
In 1954, Bell Labs developed the first silicon photovoltaic cell. Although solar energy had previously been captured and converted into usable energy through various methods, only after 1954 did solar power begin to become a viable source of electricity to power devices over extended periods of time. The first solar cells converted solar radiation to electricity at an efficiency of 4 percent - for reference, many widely available solar panels today can convert sunlight to solar power at above 20 percent efficiency, a number constantly on the rise.
Although the adoption of solar energy was slow at first, a number of U.S. state and federal incentives and policies contributed to driving down the cost of solar panels far enough to become more widely adopted. At this point, solar power accounts for enough capacity to power 11 million of the 126 million households in the U.S. alone.
Why Go Solar?
Whether you’re a homeowner, business, or nonprofit, electricity costs can make up a large portion of your monthly expenses. With a solar panel system, you’ll generate free power for your system’s entire 25+ year lifecycle. Even if you don’t produce 100 percent of the energy you consume, solar will reduce your utility bills and you’ll still save a lot of money.
Solar panels isn’t an expense – they’re one of the best ways to invest, with returns rivaling those of more traditional investments like stocks and bonds. Thanks to substantial electricity bill savings, the average homeowner pays off their solar panel system in seven to eight years and sees an ROI of 20 percent or more.
One of the most clear cut benefits of solar panels is the ability to hedge utility prices. In the past ten years, residential electricity prices have gone up by an average of three percent annually. By investing in a solar energy system now, you can fix your electricity rate and protect against unpredictable increases in electricity costs. If you’re a business or homeowner with fluctuating cash flow, going solar also helps you better forecast and manage your expenses.
Multiple studies have found that homes equipped with solar energy systems have higher property values and sell more quickly than non-solar homes. Appraisers are increasingly taking solar installations into consideration as they value homes at the time of a sale, and as homebuyers become more educated about solar, demand for properties equipped with solar panel systems will continue to grow.
Solar is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Buildings are responsible for 38 percent of all carbon emissions, and going solar can significantly decrease that number. A typical residential solar panel system will eliminate three to four tons of carbon emissions each year—the equivalent of planting over 100 trees annually.
Sustainability and corporate social responsibility are important components of an organization’s culture and values. They also produce bottom line results. Increasingly, consumers and communities are recognizing and rewarding businesses that choose to operate responsibly. Businesses are finding that “green” credentials are a powerful driver of consumer purchasing decisions, creating goodwill and improving business results.
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