Reliable supply of hot water for home for the disabled

Thu, 30 September 2010

"Although our electricity bill was higher than usual this winter, it would have been even higher were it not for the solar panels installed at the residence." - Miss Mackey, Administrator

Progress Report 2: Pevensey Place- Solar heating system for a home for the disabled

Pevensy Place is a residential farm that houses 76 adults with cerebral palsy. The residents at the farm assist the staff with the daily activities at the farm including working with cattle and chickens, assisting other residents with more severe disabilities, or helping in the kitchen and the laundry. Pevensey Place believes that these activities serve to give residents a sense of purpose and self-worth.

Through this project Pevensey Place began the conversion of its heating system to renewable energy in order to avoid the negative impact of the frequent power cuts and increasing cost of electricity. The conversion started with the installation of four of the 13 units required for the buildings that accommodate the residents. The four units funded through SASIX serve specifically identified areas that use the most power, namely the ladies bathrooms and the farm’s kitchen and laundry.

The installation of the four solar panels was completed in March 2010.

Impact

Between March and April 2010, when the solar panels were installed, Pevensey place saw a 35% reduction in electricity bill for the residence. The solar panels ensure that the residents have sufficient hot water even when they experience power cuts, which are quite common in the rural part of KwaZulu Natal where the home is located. The shift to renewable sources of energy means that the project will also have a positive environmental impact. The installation of lightning conductors to protect the solar panels will help to ensure that they last and continue to provide a positive environmental impact well into the future.

The electricity bill at Pevensey place increased dramatically between June and July 2010 due to the abnormal use of the electric water pump to draw water from the diminishing underground source. Therefore, the increased electricity costs in this reporting period are not a negeitive refelction on the efficiency of the solar panels in reducing the energy costs at Pevensey.

Expenditure

The total budget for this project was R50,000 which has been paid in full.

Description	Budget	Expenditure
3 x 200LT conversion (plus tubes, manifold, reflector plate and conversion panel)	32 000	32 000
1 x 150 conversion (plus tuber, manifold and reflector plate)	9 570	9 570
Installation, travelling and labour costs	8 430	8 430
TOTAL	50 000	50 000

Pevensey Place spent an extra R6000 from its reserves on repairs after one of the panels was struck by lightning. They installed lightning conductors on all four solar panels to prevent future damage.

Challenges

In an effort to reduce their dependence on the local reservoir, Pevensey place installed a borehole in the first quarter of 2010. Using the reservoir resulted in large quantities of water being wasted due to old leaking pipes. The borehole system worked well during the rainy months. During the dry winter months, they had to pump deeper and for longer to access water from the diminishing under ground water source. This resulted in an inflated electricity bill in July 2010.

To avoid the high electricity consumption associated with pumping water from the shallow water table, Pevensely decided to resume sourcing water from the local resevoir. The water pipes were repaired to minimise the loss of water. The organisation will use the borehole in the rainy season.

Monitoring and evaluation

The maintenance manager conducts regular checks on the units to ensure that they are in good repair. Monitoring the energy saving as a result of the installation of the solar panels has been challenging because of the increased cost of electricity associated with pumping large quantities of water from a deep water table.

Conclusions

During the last reporting period, Pevensey Place reported a decrease in energy consumption that resulted in a 30 percent decrease in their Eskom bill. The increased electricity costs in this reporting period were due to the abnormal use of the electric water pump in winter and not the failure of the project to ensure the efficient use of electricity.

Solar Panels Reduce Electricity Bill at Pevensey Place

Thu, 1 July 2010

“We can already see the reduction in our electricity bill. The money we save can now be used to provide other essential services to our residents.” - Director

Progress Report 1: Pevensey Place- Solar heating system for a home for the disabled

Pevensy Place is a residential farm that houses 76 adults with cerebral palsy. The residents at the farm assist the staff with the daily activities at the farm including working with cattle and chickens; assisting other residents with more severe disabilities; or helping in the kitchen and the laundry. Pevensey Place believes that these activities serve to give residents a sense of purpose and self-worth.

Through this project Pevensey Place began the conversion of its heating system to renewable energy in order to avoid the frequent power cuts and increasing cost of electricity. The conversion started with the installation of four of the 13 units required for the several buildings that accommodate the residents. The four units funded through SASIX serve specifically identified areas that use the most power, namely the ladies bathrooms and the farm’s kitchen and laundry.

The installation of the four solar panels was completed in March 2010.

Activities and Outcomes

• Four solar panels were purchased from a local producer
• The old geysers were removed by sub-contracted builders
• The four solar panels were installed in the ladies bathrooms, the kitchen, and the laundry room in March 2010

The installation of the four solar panels has resulted in a 35% reduction in Pevensey Place's electricity bill.

Expenditure

The total budget for this project was R50,000 which has been paid in full.

Description	Budget	Expenditure
3 x 200LT conversion (plus tubes, manifold, reflector plate and conversion panel)	32 000	32 000
1 x 150 conversion (plus tuber, manifold and reflector plate)	9 570	9 570
Installation, travelling and labour costs	8 430	8 430
TOTAL	50 000	50 000

Pevensey place will spend an extra R6000 from its reserves for repairs after one of the panels was struck by lightning and to install lightning conductors on all four solar panels to prevent future damage.

Challenges

• One of the solar panels was struck by lightning soon after being installed
• The remote location of Pevensey Place meant that it took some time for the supplier to attend to the repairs after the lightning damage
• Lightning conductors were added to the budget to prevent future damage during thunder storms
• There have been problems with supplying the ladies’ bathrooms with enough hot water in the morning as Pevensey Place is still trying to get the balance between using electricity and solar power right.

Monitoring and evaluation

The installation was monitored on site by the Director. He was on sight every day and ensured that installation works aligned with quality standards and did not cause unnecessary disruption for the residents. The Director has decided to install lightning conductors to protect the solar panels from future lightning storms.

Savings on the electricity bill are being monitored by the financial administrator. Since the installation of the solar panels, Pevensey Place has seen a 35% reduction in their electricity bill.

Conclusions

Four solar panels have been successfully installed at Pevensely Place. There are already indications that this will ease the financial burden on the home, with a 35% saving off the monthly electricity bill. The residents also now have a supply of heat even when they experience power cuts, which are quite common in the rural part of KwaZulu Natal where the home is located. The shift to renewable sources of energy means that the project will also have a positive environmental impact. The installation of lightning conductors to protect the solar panels will help to ensure that they last and continue to provide a positive social and environmental impact well into the future.