Why Go Solar
Choosing to utilize Solar Water Heating should not be a difficult decision. With new technology, Solar Water Heating systems are now more efficient than ever and substantially more affordable. Solar Water Heating is environmentally friendly and over the lifespan of the system has proven to be the most cost-effective domestic hot water supply system available.
Environmentally friendly
Due to the high solar radiation levels in South Africa, as much as 80 % of the energy Solar Water Heaters used to warm the water is absorbed from the sun. The supplementary 20 % is supplied by the backup electric heater.
As a benchmark, the aggregated 80 % saving in electricity amounts to 2000kWh of energy over a single year in a 200 litre system. This is effectively 2000kWh of energy that Eskom no longer needs to produce from non-renewable energy, namely coal, in South Africa. As an evaluation, to generate 2000kWh from a coal fired power station Eskom would have to burn 1080 kg of coal, consume over 2800 kg of fresh water and produce 1950 kg of carbon dioxide.
Save money
As water heating constitutes over 50 % of the total energy consumption of a typical household, a Solar Water Heating system could affect an overall saving of 40 % on a domestic electricity bill. Solar Water Heaters may be initially more expensive than traditional electric geysers, but when the accumulated electricity savings are calculated, the Solar Water Heater is substantially more economical. Below is a calculator which you can use to determine how much you can expect to save over 2, 5 and 10 year periods by going solar.
Solar savings calculator
How much can I save by installing an EFA solar water heating system?
Breakdown of Household Electricity Consumption
Below is a breakdown of the electricity consumption in the average household, showing the contribution of different appliances. The electric geyser can consume up to 52%.
