Grid Tied Solar Systems Cape Town

View our range of Renewable Services offered in the Green Economic Hub of Africa. The City of Cape Town recognises the importance of prioritising a green economy and is not only in light of climate change, but also in response to crises such as water and energy shortages with new opportunities like Renewable energy and Aquaculture! Cape Town city counsil is starting a program to buy power from households, commercial and industrial producers. The price per unit is not fixed and formal but the figures elaborated are R1.10/1.11 per kWh spesifcally for Cape Town. See link for news and details >> News

Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG)

SSEG refers to renewable power generation under 1 (one) Megawatt, installed on residential, commercial and industrial sites. SSEG systems are connected to the electrical distribution of the customer’s premises which is connected to the Cape Town municipal electric grid. These generators are considered to be ‘embedded’ in the municipal electrical grid and now offers a very lucrative opportunity within this region.

Most of the electricity generated by an SSEG user is consumed directly at the site. However, there may be times when generation exceeds consumption, and typically a limited amount of power is allowed to flow onto the municipal electrical grid. One of the major advantages of such a municipal electrical grid connected system is that it eliminates the need for backup batteries that stand alone (or off-grid) systems require.

Solar solutions offerred by the Tripple Hydro & Energy consession network.

View the various DIY solar products available on offer. We cater for those who are looking for more economical ways to move off the grid and are willing to “Do It Yourself”. We supply solar products at wholesale prices direct to the public and assist clients in installation guidance as far as possible. When specialist installation teams are needed we gladly assist.

In the economic climate of today, we offer high quality solar products and systems at affordable prices. Please visit our online solar store for prices and promotions.

Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

Solar PV panels that are mounted on the roof of a residential, commercial or industrial structures are SSEG installations that convert solar energy into usable electricity. A PV system is made up of solar cells that are connected in a way that points them toward the sun, which an inverter then converts from direct current (DC) into usable alternating current (AC). The size, layout and configuration of a solar PV system will differ, depending on the use of the system, size of the building, the energy demand and consumption pattern (load profile) and the ability of the municipal electrical grid-operator to allow the system to be grid-tied and feed back onto the municipal electrical grid.

Main Advantages Of Connecting To The Grid

The main advantages of grid-tied solar systems:

Grid-tied systems are typically a lower in cost. They do not require special equipment that off-grid systems do.
You can take advantage of net metering in Cape Town and more towns and area’s to be added in future. Save money while ensuring the energy generated by your solar system is never wasted.
You have a backup energy source and you’re helping to improve the efficiency of the main electrical grid during peak usage times. (Note: This is extremely useful if you’re just looking to supplement some of your energy usage with a lower-cost solar system, or if there are limitations to how large of a solar system can be installed on your property.)(space limitations etc…)

Are There Any Drawbacks To Grid Connection?

Some potential limitations to consider when installing a grid-tied solar system.

If the main power grid happens to go down, your grid-tied system will shut off in order to prevent energy from feeding into the system and potentially harming utility workers (note: adding a backup battery to your grid-tied system will allow you to still have power in these situations, see next paragraph)
Installing grid-tied solar may not be feasible in remote or undeveloped areas without nearby power lines.

Grid-Connected With A Battery Backup – Hybrid

Adding one or several battery backups to a grid-tied solar system allows you to reduce your dependency on the grid without sacrificing the attractive money-saving benefits these types of solar energy systems offer.

When the grid goes down the battery backup system will run the loads during night time and during daytime the solar array will mainly supply the loads with the battery as supplement in poor weather conditions. The size of the battery would determine the backup capacity and potentially have a restriction to large loads. This, however can be expanded should this be necessary.

Benefit Of Having Battery Backup Hybrid

Installing a hybrid system with battery backup, can help prevent a complete loss of power in those situations where the grid goes down unexpectedly or during load shedding as we know it in Cape Town and South Africa lately.

No matter which type of solar energy system you choose, you will be saving money on energy costs and increasing the value of your home or land in the long run. Plus, the whole saving the planet things isn’t too bad either!

Streamline energy savings, maximize your solar investment, and ensure a backup energy source, go with a hybrid solar system with batteries to maximise your benefits and lifestyle.

Feeding Into The Municipal Grid

Many municipalities across the Western Cape already have the rules and tariffs in place for feeding into the grid when installing a PV system. The remaining municipalities across the province are being supported by the Western Cape Government and GreenCape to design and implement appropriate feed-in tariffs and approve the necessary regulations. The below table indicates the status of the municipalities which allow SSEG.

Requirements For A Small Scale Embedded Generator

The requirements for a small scale embedded generator is available on various Cape Town and Western Cape related websites of which are downloadable on the liks below;

Green Cape (www.greencape.gov.za) >>> Click here
Western Cape (www.westerncape.gov.za) >>> Click here
Western Cape News >>> Click here

SSEG Packages Offerred

Tripple Hydro & Energy offers various Grid tied packages to choose from.

All packages will be made available on our store pages. In the meantime, please contact us for quotations or more information. >>> Click here

Solar Installers Cape Town

Tripple Hydro & Energy have a strong network of registered and qualified solar installers to assist clients with their green energy projects. Our head quarters are situated in George, Western Cape which offers National support and Technical design to ensure the best solution is offerred to achieve maximum results and the best return on investment possible.