Electricity
consumers search for new solutions
By Bevan Jones, Soltra Energy MD
In the face
of Eskom’s supply uncertainty and price hikes, consumers are on the lookout for
new, innovative alternatives. This was evident at the recent Power &
Electricity World Africa 2015 show in Johannesburg where Soltra Energy took the
opportunity to launch its new high capacity Soltra GTB 10 000.
This is a 10 kVA capacity, utility
grid-connected, hybrid solar photovoltaic (PV) power system suitable for
small-to-medium-size enterprise and domestic markets. Ideal for roof-top
installation, it offers a greater degree of backup battery autonomy and is thus
geared for load-shedding.
Our belief, that the Soltra GTB 10 000
is a good fit for consumers’ current mind-set, was borne out at the show by the
many interested visitors who took time to call at our stand.
They confirmed what we already believed:
There is burgeoning interest in rooftop solar PV power solutions for domestic,
commercial and industrial applications. It is gaining momentum on an almost
daily basis as our parastatal power provider lurches from one crisis to
another.
Without doubt, consumers from all
sectors of the economy are keen to reduce their reliance on Eskom. Concern over
power reliability, price hikes and the lack of leadership at the highest levels
was reaffirmed by almost all our visitors.
It became crystal clear that the current
trend is away from generators – which are often seen as too noisy for domestic
use. Solar power - nature’s free alternative - is gaining ground as it is
becoming an attractive, cost-effective solution, particularly when Eskom’s new
pricing structures are taken into account..
In this light, our new Soltra GTB 10 000
functions as a back-up rather than a complementary power source in the event
of a power outage. This sets it apart from conventional solar PV power systems.
For the technically minded, the 10 kVA
capacity unit is a hybrid solar PV power system that can be operated in three
modes: linked to the electricity grid (grid-tied); as grid-tied unit with
battery backup (in a hybrid configuration); or as a stand-alone hybrid unit. In
line with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and other conventional solutions,
switchover time from mains to batteries is a rapid 15 milliseconds.
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