Condor Solar News Blog

Case Study for A PV Solar Panel Installation for SMME or Home Businesses

For most households Eskom loadshedding is an inconvenience, but for SMME and specifically home businesses, power outages and loadshedding can be deeply problematic. Lost productivity and security concerns are uppermost for most business owners.

If you operate a small / medium enterprise or run a business from home, then you should seriously consider investing in the following basic solar PV system:

  • 12 x 250W solar panels (this will require around 25 square meters of sloped north facing non-shaded roof space)
  • 3Kw grid inverter with solar regulator and battery charger
  • 4 x 100A/h deep cycle batteries
  • Roof mounting system
  • All electrical components required including surge arrester, AC and DC boards, breakers, AC and DC cable, connectors
  • Installation and electrical certificate of compliance

Business Savings as well as Business Continuity

A PV Solar system such as this is likely to produce 18kW hours per day (weather dependent) which is enough to power your home office as well as probably all or bulk of your daytime household usage resulting in monthly electricity savings for both your business as well as your home.

The batteries can, during times of power outages in the day, power the essential items that you decide are vital to the continuation of your business such as the computers, internet routers, printers, switchboard, electronic gates, security systems, etc.

The batteries can also provide a level of comfort / normality at home during power outages at night by powering some lights, internet router, DSTV, electric gates, security systems, cell chargers, etc.

The batteries can also, if so configured, supply the house with some of its energy needs every night to reduce the supply from the grid resulting in additional savings.

Cost Savings

The cost of such a system could be around R110 000,00.  (The purchase equivalent of a small vehicle)

If between your home office and household, you consume the full 18kWh every day, your savings will be something like R 1,87 x 18 = R 33,66 per day or R 1 023,83 per month.

Investing R 110 000 could have resulted in R 8 855 interest per year, nowhere near the R 12 000 saving over the same period.

The benefits are not just financial however. Some of the benefits of such a system are:

  • Business continuity during power outages;
  • Monthly electricity savings;
  • Tax and depreciation deductions on the capital expense or finance option;
  • Continued security during power outages;
  • ‘Normal’ home environment during power outages at night;
  • Environmentally responsible business practices;
  • Increase in value of home or business.
Comments are closed for this post, but if you have spotted an error or have additional info that you think should be in this post, feel free to contact us.

Subscription

Get the latest updates in your email box automatically.

Search

Archive