The word photovoltaic is a marriage of the words ‘photo’, which means light, and ‘voltaic’, which refers to the production of electricity. Thus, Photovoltaic technology generates electricity from light. Solar PV projects account for most of the work done by the Go Green team, and we have extensive experience in this area. There are a number of different options for both commercial and residential clients when it comes to solar, these options are described in more detail below.
More Common Commercial and Residential Solutions:
With a grid-tied solution, you will produce your own electricity during daylight hours. This energy is automatically fed into your electrical installation subsidising the external electricity supply. No electricity is fed back into the grid. With a grid-tied and a grid-feed solution you will feed all excess power back into grid should you be overproducing.
A system for increased self-consumption is either a grid-tied or grid-feed one with an energy storage system attached. This allows one to use stored sun energy when the sun is gone or when it is cloudy.
Reasons to invest in solar?
- Produce your own electricity during daylight hours.
- Great return on investment in energy savings.
- Pays for itself.
- Increase your property value.
- The system can be relocated.
- Excess power may be fed back to the grid for reimbursement from the municipality.
- Contributing to a cleaner environment.
- The annual electricity cost increase is based on an optimistic 8% per year. Your return should be faster.
- Can add batteries to the system at a later stage if required. (Erratic Grid, Load Shedding, Brown Outs, etc).
A guide to ROI
The following guide, compiled by the GoGreen Team, explains the basics of solar power and what you as a customer should know before diving into the investment.
Return on Investment
The following spreadsheet documents the return on investment for systems of varying sizes assuming an electricity tariff increase of 8% per annum.