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ADVERTORIAL

SOLAR POWER?

SOLAR POWER?

HERE'S YOUR GUIDE
HERE’S YOUR GUIDE!

Solar PV power generation is clearly by far the most 4) Ensure compliance with at least the following:
financially sound solution for own power generation. It • NRS 097-2-1: These are utility interface requirements that pertain
adds value to your home or business. primarily to the characteristics of the inverters.
• NRS-097-2-3: These are connection criteria that pertain primarily
to the size of the solar PV generator with respect to the notified
You can immunise your home and business from grid power loss in maximum demand (NMD), the nature of the electrical supply
various ways, ranging from uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), (e.g. dedicated vs. shared, single vs. 3-phase), and the minimum
petrol/diesel generators, and to solar photovoltaic (PV) power breaker size between the point of supply (POS) and the point of
generation. control (POC)).
• SANS 10142 – Requirements for wiring of premises. This
Technology Lifetime ROI Warranty document currently does not contain a section dedicated to solar
PV installations. In September 2018, the technical committee has
UPS 2 to 5 years < 0% 1 to 2 years
submitted a draft for comment and acceptance, and it is expected
Fuel Generator 5 to 10 years < 0% 1 to 2 years to be promulgated through the course of 2019 or 2020. It will be
enforced retroactively, and a certificate of compliance (COC) will
Solar PV power 10 to 25 years 300 - 950% 2 to 25 years
be required for the DC and AC part of your solar PV system when
selling your property.
YOUR STEP-BY STEP GUIDE:
5) Grid application for grid connection
Every grid-tied solar PV system in South Africa must be registered
1) Find a suitable installer:
By using only PVGreenCard accredited installers, not only do you with the local authority, using a grid application form. The onus is
ensure proper skill levels, but you also obtain recourse: in the event on the property owner to submit this application, but your installer
that an installation or system design is found to be sub-standard should be able to assist you with this. It requires at least the following:
or faulty, the installer stands to lose his/her accreditation if the • the PVGreenCard accreditation number of the installer,
client appeals, and SAPVIA (South African Photovoltaic Installer’s • a Pr Eng or Pr Tech to sign off on the test report,
Association) finds in favour of the client. • detailed line diagrams of the installation,
• a COC for the PV system, and
• a 3rd party NRS compliance certificate for the inverter(s).
Look out for the PVGreenCard logo!
The grid application form must be submitted before you may
2) Choose the appropriate system for your application:
There are basically only two types of solar PV systems to choose from: connect to the grid, and you may only feed electricity into the grid
• Grid-Tied after receiving approval of your application.
• Off-Grid
The feed-in tariff in Tshwane can range from 10c per kWh to
approximately R1.57 /kWh (location dependent).
Grid-tied systems are tied to a public or private electricity grid. Off-
grid systems are stand-alone, and are not connected to any incoming
electricity grid – they create their own electricity “island”.
Both these types of systems can be configured in a multitude of
different configurations. Both types use solar PV panels to generate
direct current (DC), whereas the majority of home appliances
require alternating current (AC). Inverters are used to convert the
DC to AC, and the type of inverter used, will determine if any, and
how many backup batteries can be added, and whether or not
standby generators are supported. The number of backup batteries
determine the level of independence from the grid (e.g. during load
shedding, power failures, or at night).

There is currently no off-the-shelf, single brand, turnkey solution
available for a complete system. Systems are designed according to
the chosen components.
Solar PV power generation is a technically specialised endeavour,
3) Ensure accurate consumption profile measurement: but you can rely on an accredited PVGreenCard installer to help you
Copies of monthly electricity bills are simply not good enough for
proper solar PV system design. You need measurements for at least choose the most effective option for your needs.
1 full week, taken at most 15 minutes apart. Your accredited installer
should do this as part of their standard service offering. Choose wisely, and you can get it right the first time, minimise waste,
and contribute to the future of our planet.

www.1GreenPlanet.net • info@1greenplanet.net
FOR THE PLANET • FOR THE CHILDREN • FOR THE FUTURE

16 Cornwall View • Issue 4 2019