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Most Popular PV Systems: Which One Is Right For You?

By December 11, 2020January 4th, 2021No Comments

As a home or business owner, you might be feeling the pressure with high electricity costs right now. For some reason, the more electricity we use in South Africa, the more we pay per unit. And since it’s winter, you’re in for a big surprise when your bill comes if you don’t do something about it now.

The answer to all your energy problems is SOLAR POWER. But you probably already know it since you’re wondering which PV system you should install. So, without further ado, here are the top 3 systems offered by Nupower.

Grid-Tied PV Systems

The less complicated of the bunch, a grid-tied solution doesn’t use batteries, and the power is delivered together with the load as an add-on to Eskom’s feed. Since we can’t feed surplus power into the South African grid, any extra power is lost. Systems are typically sized equivalent the load during day time, which means you’ll only benefit from the sun’s energy for 8 hours a day max. One downside of this system type is that they switch off during a power blackout because it can’t function without a live feed from Eskom.

Back-Up PV Systems

A back-up system is made up of a battery bank and inverter to provide continuous power supply to your home, even when the grid isn’t generating electricity. The drawback here is that you can sustain yourself only as long as the batteries last, typically a few hours.

Off-Grid PV Systems

Excellent both for domestic and commercial purposes, an off-grid system is self-sufficient. It uses batteries to store electricity only to release it during periods when your solar panels are inactive, for instance, night time. This system is an excellent solution for remote buildings, as well as powering machinery, boats and pumps. You can install them anywhere electricity isn’t available. Supplying power to the load whenever the sun shines, it also stores excess power into a battery for later use.

The only time the system uses energy from the grid or back up generator is when its batteries are depleted, or the current load surpasses a specific setpoint. Due to the high cost of the batteries, most of these systems only power essential appliances, leaving pool pumps and air conditioners to run on Eskom’s feed.

Still not sure which solar system to choose? Why not book a free consultation with the team at Nupower! Give us a call today!