Load-shedding is not going anywhere soon, with Eskom still in serious trouble and the national power grid under constant strain.
After implement stage 6 load-shedding in December 2019 and recently warning municipalities to update their schedules to include stage 8 load-shedding, many South Africans are preparing for a future of regular blackouts.
There are a number of ways to mitigate the effects of load-shedding, from buying cheap power banks to installing solar panels and inverters for standalone energy generation.
The Western Cape Provincial Government published a guideline on the costs of preparing for load-shedding which gives an idea of the costs involved.
The guide is aimed at businesses and individual electricity users and provides alternatives to Eskom across a wide variety of price ranges.
A few ways you can reduce your dependence on Eskom are detailed below:
Cheap and Easy – Up to R500
A small gas cooker can cost you R400 – R500. Make sure that the gas cooker meets safety standards.
Buy a solar cell charger, a car phone charger, or a cellphone power bank, which should cost around R300.
Buy rechargeable lights for about R200.
Buy a surge protector plug for your television, computer and fridge. This should cost between R100 – R400.
Low-end battery system – R15,000
A battery backup system comprising a charger, inverter, and battery.
This limited system includes two 100Ah 12V batteries and an inverter capable of providing 1,000W continuously and 1.2kWh.
This option for limited power draw situations, such as the following:
4-6 LED lights (24W)
A TV and a decoder (30W when off, 150W when in use)
Cellphone charger (0.5W when not charging, 6W when charging)
The estimated cost of this system, excluding installation, is R15,000.
Medium battery system – R30,000
This battery system is suitable for an average three-bedroom house where usage will be limited to a load of 480W.
It has a total of two 200 Ah 12V batteries and inverter that can provide 2,400 Watt continuously and 2.4kWh.
This will enable the following functions:
10-15 LED or CFL lights
A TV and a decoder (30W when off, 150W when in use)
One energy-efficient fridge/freezer on, managed well (100W – 200W)
A laptop (65W while charging)
The estimated cost of this system, excluding installation, is R30,000.
High-end battery system – R50,000
This option is suitable for bigger houses, small offices, and shops that want to be unaffected by load-shedding. It is limited to a load of 960W.
It has a total of four 200 Ah 12V batteries and inverter that can provide 4,000 Watt continuously and 4.8kWh.
This will enable the following:
All lighting and a TV
Multiple fridges and freezers, opened as little as possible
Laptops and a printer
The estimated cost of this system, excluding installation, is R50,000.
Solar panels
The guideline also includes estimated costs for installing solar panels and battery systems to combat load-shedding.
“In the long term, it is better to invest in battery back-up or solar and battery back-up, rather than investing in a generator,” it said.
“Although a generator may cost less initially, it requires diesel to operate and creates air and noise pollution.”
The following options were listed, along with their estimated costs:
R2,000-R5,000 – One or two small solar panels and battery that will power a few lights and a cellphone charger (20W).
R9,000-R16,000 – A large solar panel and a battery that will power multiple lights or a TV (120W).
R50,000+ – A 1.5kWh – 3kWh system that can power a few lights, a TV, and a fridge.
Source: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/energy/335542-how-much-it-costs-to-take-your-home-off-the-grid-and-dodge-load-shedding.html
Comments