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Rob Dempster
'Allo 'Allo Gardens ! (AAG) Howick (uMngeni) Solar Generated Electricity exported within a Sectional Title Complex 2 March 2024 Popup images best viewed using a PC/Laptop |
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After we had spent a year in our new unit withing a Sectional Title Complex, my wife Edith and I decided to install a Solar Panel based electricity generation system. As we were the first to do so, the Trustees had to deal with the application from scratch. Their immediate concerns were for how we would impact the Common Property, especially the roof. Next was safety regarding working on Unit roofs, conformance to various regulations regarding the unit, and I guess insurance issues. Once those matters had been dealt with, and we had to decide what we wanted connected to the system (essentials), and what would remain connected to ESKOM (non-essentials). This list included the Geyser, Stove and Air Conditioning Unit. Once that was out of the way the installation was a relatively painless process.
Edith graciously took on the role of managing the system. Once she had managed to master that, the work mainly involved matching the system's setup to accommodate the behaviour of the weather. Initially this mainly involved ensuring that we always had enough power stored in the battery to comfortably get us through any load shedding that occurred, and of course from sundown to sunrise.
The next big step was when we decided to export our excess solar generated power to the (complex) grid. Once we were comfortable with our Electricity usage meter being able to run in reverse, Edith started to export electricity. Here I should say that soon after the system was up and running, we realized that we would inevitably want to be able to do this. in order to offset the cost of running the Geyser.
The first thing we did do to better to accommodate the Electricity consumption of the Geyser, was to install a Timer Switch on the distribution board. It allowed us to control the hours that the Geyser would be connected to ESKOM. We like to think that this worked as the figures suggest that it has. Unfortunately the figures are not definitive as at the same time: 1) we also changed the manner in which we used hot water. Basically stopped running the hot tap in the kitchen for 10 minutes :-) to use hot water to rinse a cup. Ironically the taps in the bathrooms that are almost immediately beneath the Geyser, were just as bad. 2) We filled the kettle with the amount of water required to do whatever the boiled water was going to be used for.
Now moving on to the crux of the article. What happens when we export electricity into the complex grid? 1) Our meter runs backwards and our monthly electricity bill is reduced. The effect is marked on sunny days and can be negligible on cloudy/rainy days. 2) The electricity we export enters the complex grid and is consumed by someone concurrently using electricity within the complex. That usage is recorded on whoever's meter, and the corresponding unit will have to pay for that consumption. That consumption within the complex will not be recorded on the Bulk Meter ESKOM uses to bill the complex for its monthly electricity consumption.
So the inevitable question has to be, "What does the Body Corporate (Trustees) do with the income generated from the sale of electricity within the complex, that the complex (trustees) neither received from ESKOM, NOR paid for?". My own view is that it should be reflected within the accounting process and should be published as such. Obviously it should also be spent in a manner consistent with the manner in which the Levy Monies are generally spent to run and maintain the complex.
What do you think?
To view a larger image, click on a thumb-nail. To remove an enlargement, click on it.
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 2024EFREEYear2Date.jpg *
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 ElectricityConsumption.jpg *
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If you have any comments, corrections, suggestions or plain criticism,
I would appreciate it if you would communicate the same to me.
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[email protected] | www.robdempster.com |
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