The challenges of installing alternative energy sources

Thanks to increased load-shedding, nearly every developer is looking at alternative energy solutions. There are many advantages to this. Not only does it make an estate more desirable for buyers and investors, but it’s likely to also boost property value.

However, as Quintin Zeeman, product manager of Southern Africa Fusion Solar Smart PV Department at Hauwei Solar explains, installing a fully functioning system isn’t as simple as adding a few solar panels on the roof with some backup batteries for when the lights go off. It’s a far more complex process. Here are three questions every developer should be asking (and answering) before implementing a renewable energy solution.

1. Do you have enough space?

A large estate usually consists of around 450 homes which will all need to be powered. Meanwhile, a clubhouse will require about six or more utility sized battery systems alone. Each battery can take up a 20-foot-high shipping container and these need to be placed near the main source of electricity, which can either be powered by Eskom or the municipality.

These batteries can be an eyesore but, unfortunately, they cannot be buried underground. However, they can be fitted into the basement of an apartment block, for example. ‘The costs don’t increase if the batteries are stored further away from homes, as our batteries are made of high voltage AC systems, and use a transformer to emit about 23,000 volts,’ adds Quintin

Developers should bear in mind that as well as the 6m x 3m container, there is also an industrial-sized air conditioning unit needed on either side which is used to help maintain optimal temperatures to preserve the lifespan of the lithium battery.

2. How can I make it look attractive?

One of the biggest challenges that developers face, is working out how to integrate a renewable energy solution into their estate design. ‘Cosmetic value is huge in the development sphere,’ says Quinton. ‘Everyone looks at the aesthetics of the product first hand, wanting to know how the system will look and feel before beginning to understand its form and function.’

In most security estates he explains, the main power source is usually found by the main entrance gate. This means it will be visible to those entering and exiting, so a major challenge for developers is figuring out a way to make these products look pretty.

Spacing becomes a big concern on an estate, especially if there is more than one incoming energy point as this means development will have several micro stations with multiple containers filled with batteries all over the place. In this situation, Quentin suggests building the battery plants first and then putting up separate decorative fencing to make it less visible.

Regardless of position, it is important to note that the batteries are not harmful to people living nearby. ‘Safety is very important to us, and we are the only manufacturer to supply suppression to our battery systems that removes oxygen in the event of a fire, to prevent it from burning further. We also use a monitoring system in our containers to dispatch real-time data to our portal to prevent catastrophic failure before it happens,’ says Quintin.

3. Is a residential energy solution the best for your estate? 

Finding the space and making it look good is only worthwhile if the system works for your homeowners and your bottom line. As Quinton explains, a residential solution is not always the best one for an estate. His company was recently contacted by a developer and EPC company that wanted to use their utility-scale batteries for the whole estate. The project would involve installing solar panels on all roofs, which would then collate energy into a central inverter system that fed back power to each home.

‘Our team did a simulation exercise to work out how any panels would fit on each roof and found that the operations were becoming too costly on a residential scale,’ he adds.

Using a 100 KW inverter as part of commercial operations would cost the developer approximately R130,000. In comparison, a 50 KW inverter on the residential side would cost between R25,000 and R30, 000 per home.  Multiply this by 450 homes and the commercial option with a centralised reticulation network that offers the same output, is more cost-effective.

Despite the saving for the developer, there is still a huge benefit to the customer/homeowner. ‘They still get to buy electricity using a pre-paid meter at their property. They are also getting renewable energy either at a discounted rate if the developer goes with a different tariff structure, or they benefit from getting renewable energy and a backup power supply,’ concludes Quinton.