greenparkview public meeting, tuesday march 8th, 2011
TRANSCRIPT
Greenparkview public meeting, Tuesday March 8th, 2011
2
agenda
• Introduction Steve Lenehan, Chairperson, PRA
• Turning Parkview Green Indra de Lanerolle, Greenparkview
• Costs and benefits Rob Brine, Greenparkview
• equipment options Rob Brine, Greenparkview
• What next? Indra de Lanerolle, Greenparkview
From Red to GreenSafeParkview now has over 500 members - nearly half the households in the suburb are now contributing to make Parkview safer.
Our goal now is to see how we can build on that success to make Parkview greener
Using the power of neighbours and neighbourhoods
•Harness collective buying power•Share research and information•Get the most appropriate solutions at the best prices.
Starting with researchSo far we have conducted a survey to gauge interest in solar water heating
A team led by Rob Brine has also done extensive research on suppliers, on costs and benefits of solar water heating and on the technology choices available.
Survey results
•Sent to 700 email addresses at about 480 safeparkview and PRA households.
•195 responses
•55% said they were willing to participate in a bulk solar water heating project
•Average household spends R1,500 per month on electricity
COSTS AND BENEFITS
Financing a solar water heating system should be viewed in the context electricity tariff hikes and electricity shortages.
R1000 bill now will increase to nearly R2000 in the next three years.
Eskom offering rebates of between R4,200 and R12,500 per system.
COSTS AND BENEFITS
Investment Appraisal The investment required for a solar geyser ranges from R9k – R22k (after subsidy).
Typical monthly electricity bills in Parkview are R1500.
Water heating with an electric geyser accounts for 40%. Converting to a solar geyser would save R600 per month, on average.
Payback Period
The payback period of converting to a solar geyser system would typically be between three and five years (some individual systems may have a longer payback period of eight or nine years).
100 Litre System Costs Rebate from EksomEstimated Net Cost range
Equipment (100 Litre tank)R6,000 - R7,000InstallationR2,000 - R3,000
(Based on size of tank installed, efficiency of system)
Total R8,000 to R10,000R4,000 (+/-) R4,000 to R6,000
‘Typical’ Parkview Household
Rebate from EksomEstimated net cost range
250 Litre tank equipment and installation
(Based on size of tank installed, efficiency of system)
Total R14,000 to R27,000R5,000 to R7,000 (+/-) R9,000 - R20,000
Useful Product Lifespan & Warranty
The average electric geyser has a working life span of 7 years- some lower end solar geysers range between 8-10 years (some solar systems have a 25 year life span).
SABS approved systems normally have a 10-year warranty.
Net Effect on Home Insurance
Standard insurance cover is available, some offer a reduced premium for certain systems.
Insurers in South Africa require that solar geyser systems comply with SABS standards and those demanded of Eskom’s accredited suppliers.
Net Effect on Property Values
House value with solar heating installed increases.
SA realtors reported average was +7% with a peak at 11% on properties valued at under R2.5 million.
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
Choosing a solar geyser seems complicated - it isn’t.
Advantage is that the research has been done for you.
Eskom publishes useful guides http://www.eskomdsm.co.za/library
HOT WATER REQUIREMENTS & SIZE SYSTEM REQUIRED
Don’t rely on electrical element, plan properly, limiting use of the back-up element means you maximize return on your solar investment.
50 litres of hot water per person + an extra 50 litres to calculate minimum capacity of your solar water system.
Vacuum Tube
Flat Plate
Two types of Panels - ‘Flat Plate’ or ‘Vacuum Tube’
Collector TypeFlat Plate Collector (FPC) Evacuated Vacuum Tube (EVT)Performance FPCs tend to have better
performance than EVTs on ideal solar days.
Their efficiency drops off during the colder months.
EVTs can reach extremely high temperatures and are especially good for systems requiring high grade heat in commercial or industrial settings.Tend to perform better in the winter months due to insulating properties of a vacuum.
Cost FPCs are typically less expensive.
Typically more expensive than FPCs. However, some EVTs can be relatively cheap.
Size/Weight FPCs are typically 1.5 x 2m, however, some manufacturers provide variety of sizes. LighterA typical collector will weighbetween 50 to 60kg.
ETCs are typically 1.5 x 2m, depending on the number of tubes in the collector.HeavierA typical collector will weighbetween 50 to 100kg.
Maintenance The FPC cover is typically made of tempered glass which is resistant to breakage. If damaged, likely that the entire collector would need to be replaced.
Although evacuated tubes are made of hailsafe tempered glass but they can break.If broken, each individual tube can be replaced easily and at relatively little cost without having to shut down the system as each tube is isolated from the collector.
EVTEPC
CLEAR DAY MILDLY CLOUDY CLOUDY
BTU/M2/DAY
TWO TYPES OF SYSTEM AVAILABLE
Direct systems - water is heated-up directly
Indirect systems - water is heated-up via a heat exchange mechanism and a transfer medium
TWO TYPES OF STORAGE SYSTEM AVAILABLE
Pumped storage – water is forcibly moved by a pump (also known as a split-system)
Thermosyphon – the tank is placed above the panel- water moves by convection (also called close-coupled)
THREE TANK CONFIGURATIONS
Standard installation should be selected if the existing electric geyser needs to be replaced.
Pre-feed installation feeds solar-heated water into an existing geyser when extra hot water capacity is required.
Retrofit systems possible- saves on cost of new solar tank.
WHAT NEXT?
26
what next?
• Those interested complete quote questionnaire online and tell others
• Asking for suppliers to provide proposals including pricelists and discounts bids.
• select preferred suppliers (quality, terms, ability to deliver and price)
• users select supplier and product and sign up directly with supplier. Discounts will depend on number of people signed up.
Already have a system installed and are willing to share your experience with us?
Please forward your contact details to us at [email protected]
Want to become involved in the project which will request quotes from suppliers?
PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEYgo to
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/greenparkviewor visit the PRA website www.parkview.org.za
Should you have any questions or concerns about the initiative, kindly email
us at [email protected]