Energy Efficiency In Business – A critical operational component.

May 24, 2017 by Saving Energy

How Energy Efficiency is Key to Running a Business.

Value for money is often talked about in business circles. A big part of that for any new enterprise (or old one, for that matter) is making sure not a single Rand is wasted, whether on stationery, staffing costs or energy. While it is not always the biggest expense in a business’s balance sheet, energy costs can make the difference between profit and loss.

Energy efficiency is not difficult to achieve. By taking a few simple steps to cut out waste, your next electricity or gas bill will look more affordable than you think. First, you must identify anything that is being wasted. Examples include:

Appliances and apparatus such as computers unnecessarily left plugged in
Lights being left on when no-one is in your business’s premises
Appliances being used more than they are needed

Renewable Sources.

Investment in renewable energy sources by some of the leading energy providers is growing. Two years ago, widespread investment was announced for projects such as the construction of hydroelectric dams. To further your business’s energy efficiency drive, look at where your electricity comes from. If it’s from dams or wind turbines, it may be cheaper than the norm.

By getting your energy from sources other than coal or nuclear power, your business is likely to benefit from a good public image. Being environmentally friendly will help your business to stand out and appeal to ethically-minded customers.

Asking someone like RSM South Africa to perform a business audit will take into account energy use. If getting your electricity supply from a renewable source – solar, hydroelectric, wind – it will show in your audit. This is especially important if you have your own solar panels, turbine or generator.

Small Changes

To bolster your company’s energy efficiency drive, it is definitely worth looking for appliances that use less electricity than the ones you have. Find out how much energy all of your computers, your server, lighting, heating and air conditioning use. If there are more efficient alternatives, consider switching to them and watch those energy bills shrink before your eyes.

The South African Government’s National Energy Efficiency Programme was created with businesses and households in mind. Part of it involves issuing of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). These are given to buildings to show how efficient they really are.

Every commercial building should have an EPC. If it has a good rating, you should be okay to move into the building. If you want to relocate to a new building to become greener, ask the landlord for its EPC.

Solar Air Con For home – The Facts

March 27, 2017 by Saving Energy

Home Solar Air Con – The Reality

The term “solar air conditioner” is somewhat misleading as it gives the impression of an air conditioner unit that uses solar power to operate and thereby uses less electricity.

The reality is a little different.

Firstly we need to differentiate between commercial/ industrial air conditioner that could run on a solar solution and the residential units that COULD NOT.

SolarCool SA offer a solution that uses evacuated tubes (as found on a solar geyser) to drive the refrigerant on large industrial systems and thereby significantly reduces the energy usage by as much as 70%.

As you can see from the image above from the installation in Chingford, this system uses the evacuated tubes as a solar ‘compressor’ to drive the refrigerant instead of electricity.

Bottom line, if you are looking for a Solar Air Con solution for a supermarket, hotel or building then the Solar Cool SA solution will work for you.

If you want this for your house – IT WILL NOT.

The reason it will not is because essentially, it’s just too small a project and the costs would be astronomically high.

This brings us to the crux of this post.

Solar Air con for your home – the facts.

At this point in time (and to my knowledge) the only way to run your air cons in your home off a solar solution is to install Solar PV Panels, batteries, inverter and chargers for either a stand alone or grid tie system.

If you look at the image, it shows you how a home solar air con system would operate.

Solar panels collect the sun’s energy and converts it to electricity. Then that’s then sent to the controller, then to the batteries and then to the air con unit.

Essentially you would install a system that generates enough Kwh to run your air con units and then you would need to go for the inverter type air cons as these offer the best efficiency.

Ok -so this doesn’t sound so bad?

Well, again, the costs involved are high, very high.

The perception that this is a relatively cheap solution is basically bollocks as if you want a proper system that actually runs for it’s lifetime and doesn’t pack up every time you want to use it, it needs to GET DONE PROPERLY.

Let me emphasize that again.

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE PROPERLY.

You need to know what the specs of the units are and how long they will operate for so that the right number of panels and batteries can be calculated.

You need a site inspection to see which direction the house is facing as well as the roof space capacity and strength in the support structures to be to withstand the weight of the panels – those things aren’t light you know.

We need to look at placement of the batteries, inverters and chargers as well as the wiring it takes to link the system up.

This is a very concise process and it NEEDS to be.

PLEASE don’t get caught out by CHEAP offerings as you WILL regret it if your roof collapses because no supporting roof sub-structures were installed.

This is Long Term investment.

I am not trying to put anyone off here as I believe in reducing energy usage as much as possible, but I don’t want people to rush in unprepared as this is how rip-off artists make their money.

Understand that even if you use your air con 8 hours a day in summer and the same in winter, this is still a medium to long term investment for you- meaning you will only recover your investment in 8-15 years.

There is some good news here though.

A system like this significantly increases the value of the property, especially if you have been able to link it to drive other elements of the house as well like lighting by adding some additional Kwh capacity.

For me, I work with Titanium 1 Solar and their expertise has been used by some of South Africa’s largest industrial businesses to reduce their energy usage considerably.

They provide exceptional quality systems and components as well as vast knowledge and expertise.

Make the enquiry with Chris at Titanium 1 on email at chris@ti1solar.com or contact him on

(016) 018 0031.

The Sunlight Solar Myth

March 22, 2017 by Saving Energy

You don’t need sun!

Many people believe that in order for the solar system on your roof to work, you need sunlight. While it is true that sunlight does deliver the best results, it’s the UV you need to make it work.

If it’s raining – forget it! You are going to have a cold shower!

Daylight not Sunlight

Solar panels use the energy from daylight, as opposed to sunlight, to produce electricity so panels do not need direct sunlight to work. It is photons in natural daylight which is converted by solar panels cells to produce electricity.

This being said, it is true that direct sunlight does provide the best conditions for the panels. However, even in overcast conditions light will diffuse through the clouds and reach the solar panels.

Modern solar panels include concentrators which use a system of lenses and mirrors to maximize any light that does reach the cells.

As a result, it is estimated that solar panels will be 40% as effective in heavy cloudy as they would in direct sunlight.

The clearer the skies are the more electricity will be produced.

Do You Need to Install Solar Panels in Direct Sunlight?

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are widely regarded as an ideal method of generating electricity. The materials in the panels, usually silicon, create an electric current when met with natural daylight and this current is then used as standard electricity within properties.

The energy is renewable, therefore, considered green.

However, many question how effective solar panels are in cloudy climates and wonder whether direct sunlight is, indeed, needed to get the full benefits of the panels

Now is the time to look at solar.

With the winters we have in South Africa, especially in Gauteng , now is a GREAT time to look at solar for your home or business.

There are two very important elements to remember about solar.

An investment in a high Quality Solar brand like NOBEL is worth it’s weight in gold.

Firstly – this is a medium to long term investment. You will not recover your investment in your solar system in 12 months.

Typically, solar ROI is around 5-8 years, but with the way ESKOM is going, this could be considerably shorter!

Second – and this is probably more important that the first one. BUY YOUR SOLAR PRODUCTS FROM A PROPER SOLAR COMPANY.

Read that line again!

Like LED, everyone who has access to a PC can order and import solar products from China, but this DOES NOT make them qualified to sell or advise on it!

Like anything, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Take your time here and find companies that will take the time to come out and see you, do proper evaluations and give you high quality products with proper warranties and backups.

At Saving Energy, our preferred Solar Partner is Titanium One Solar as well as Solterra Vaal and if you are keen to look at solar, use the form below to get in touch.

LED- What to look for when you buy.

February 9, 2017 by Saving Energy

The LED Lighting Epidemic.

In the last few years, the influx of LED lighting has dramatically increased. Like all new things that save energy, the market has responded well to the offer of LED.

However, you should know that at this time there are no standards for LED in South Africa, which basically means that anyone who can get LED Lamps from China, Vietnam, South America or ICELAND can bring them in and dump them on the market.

This further opens the doors for unscrupulous businesses to take advantage of poorly informed customers.

Many LED Lamps and lights come with a warranty ranging from 1 – 3 years. Make sure you buy one with at least a 2 year warranty and ensure the company you are buying from will back the warranty.

Buying LED lamps ‘voetsoets’ from markets is a risk in that the power factor may be low and this leads to using more energy not less and the lamps may fail in a short time with no backup.

Then you have to go and buy more!

Rather buy wise the first time!

LED Lamps – The Facts

The good: They use even less power than CFLs

The bad: They can be rather dim. They also have a Power Factor less than 1. According to Energy Star requirements, LED lighting in the USA should have a Power Factor of at least 0.7 for bulb powers greater than or equal to 5W. Less than 5W, and there is no minimum Power Factor.

LEDs are highly directional. So, choose a bulb that will emit light in the direction you need.

Many LED bulbs that replace standard incandescents shoot all their light straight up, which wouldn’t make a very good bulb for a table lamp if you’re trying to read a book underneath it.

LED – Colour Temperature

If you are going to use LED lighting indoors or where there are going to be people , pick a ‘Warm White’ or 2700K Colour temperature lamp.

The (VERY GOOD) reason for this is that the human body and mammals in general need RED light for good health.

Blue light affects the sleep hormone , this is why it is not recommended to use a tablet, phone or even watch TV 30 minutes before bed.

Scientists around the world are concerned at the impact that the high level of blue light emitted by LED lamps could have on human health – especially related to eye health due to the glare and this impact is heightened for children who have more sensitive eyes than adults.

A recent white paper released details the potential impact exposure to LED Lighting can have and this is discussed more in this article.

Warm white LED VS Cool White in a bedroom.

Rule of thumb – if you are buying LED’s for outdoor use, the ‘cool white’ and ‘daylight white’ is fine, for indoors, rather get the ‘warm white’ option.

Also, I find that the “warm white” lamps give a more homely , comfortable feel to the space, whereas ‘cool white’ tends to make spaces look clinical – almost like a hospital!

Color Temperature: 2700-5000K. Pick a 2700K bulb!

Lifetime: Usually 25,000 hours (25 times the life of a normal bulb, 2.5 times the life of CFLs)

Know the Power Factor.

I was recently looking at a special offer from one of the major retailers for 6 LED Lamps for just R100. These were Eurolux 6W LED Lamps in either ES or BC. Looking at the specs , I noticed that the Power Factor was rated at 0,5. This means that a 6W Lamp is using 12W of power to generate 6W of light!

So much for efficiency!

Simply put, Power Factor means how much power is wasted by the bulb. A Power Factor of 1 means no power is wasted.

A Power Factor of 0.8 means that 25% more current is required by the bulb to do the same amount of real work. But electrical losses are related to the square of the current. If you need 25% more current, you have 1.5 times the losses.

With an even lower Power Factor of 0.7, 40% more current is required to do the same work, and you have about 2 times the losses.

Be informed.

Saving Energy has always been about providing accurate info so that you can make informed decisions about ALL things energy saving. LED is a great technology and as it develops, it will become better.

In the meantime, just know the facts…

Which uses less , bath or shower? The answer may surprise you.

October 25, 2016 by Saving Energy

Is a shower more water efficient than a bath?

With the drought and the water restrictions in full swing and warnings from local councils about heavy fines for excessive water usage , many homeowners are asking themselves ,”What more can I do to save water? I’m not using my hose pipe to water the garden or wash the cars, I’m using my bathwater for the garden , have put a 2L bottle filled with water into my toilet cistern to flush less..what else?”

There is one more element you can look at and that is your shower.

With the warmer weather well and truly here, most of us prefer to shower than bath and many us may believe that showering uses less water than bathing…

This may not be the case for many homes.

An average bath could use about 100 -150 litres of water for four people, assuming a bit of a top up of hot water by the person that baths second, third or last.

That sounds like a lot of water doesn’t it?

Well then , consider this.

Your average showerhead uses up to 20 Litres of water per minute!

If you have a 5 minute shower, that’s 100 litres of water right there – same as a bath and that’s just for ONE person.

If a family of four has to shower and each have a 5 minute shower , this would use 400 litres of water more than DOUBLE the amount in a bath!

The Shower head volume test.

Fortunately , there is a very easy way to calculate how much water your shower uses.

Run your shower up to temperature and pressure as you normally have it.
Once it’s at temperature and pressure , take a bucket and put it under the flow for 15 seconds.
Turn the shower off and measure how much water is in the bucket.
Multiply the amount of water in the bucket by 4 and that gives you’re your shower flow per minute.

If you have a standard shower head, there should be around 4-5 litres of water in that bucket and that will give you 16- 20 litres of water PER MINUTE.

How much water does your shower really use?

Let’s take this a little further.

Let’s assume that you have a family of four and everyone showers once per day for 5 minutes.

That’s 400 litres of water per day of which approximately 40% is hot water.

That’s 160 litres of hot water per day , enough to fill a 150 litre geyser at least once a day.

In a month , that family would use 12 000 litres of water on a SHOWER ALONE and of that 4800 litres of water is hot, effectively meaning that your geyser is heating it’s full capacity once per day.

Over a year, the water usage is 144 000 litres per year of which 57600 litres is hot water.

From a cost perspective , this would equate to around R2630 per year JUST For the shower.

Starting to get the picture here?

From an electricity point of view, your geyser would take about 2 hours to heat water from tap temperature to 60° Celsius and that would use around 8 kw of electricity.

This means that every day , this geyser is using 8Kwh just for the shower alone.

This is equivalent to 240kwh per month or 2880 Kwh per year.

At approximately R 1,75 per kwh at the current tariff, this would be costing R5040-00 per year JUST FOR THE SHOWER !

At this rate, the shower alone once per day for four people is costing almost R8000 per year.

Bear in mind that this is assuming a shower once per day! Many families with standard shower heads shower twice per day!

So, what’s the solution?

The Simple shower solution from Saving Energy

First and foremost, get an energy and water saving shower head like this one. This shower head ( the Cobra Pulse Massage Rose) has a guaranteed flow rate of just 9 Litres per minute. This alone would cut the shower water and electricity consumption by 55%.

It uses a special low flow regulator that simply reduces the flow of water , but does not have any effect on the shower experience at all.

Many people believe that installing an energy and water saving shower head would leave you standing under a slow dripping shower- not at all.

In fact , you wouldn’t even notice the difference, but you would know that you are saving a huge amount of water and electricity!

How much would you save?

Based on the numbers above , using this shower head would mean that this family would save almost 80 000 litres of water per year or R1500 and R2770 per year in electricity for a shower head that only costs R180.

Secondly , implement a strict time limit on showers and this can add even more savings!

Instead of a 5 minute shower each, cut that down to a maximum of 2,5 minutes. If you can’t do what you need to do in a shower in 2,5 minutes well…Anyone can wash themselves, their hair and rinse in 2,5 minutes.

Do the math here, reducing the total shower time to just 10 minutes for this family would cut their usage drastically and save a massive amount of water!

Using the same model , installing the shower head and cutting down the shower time would mean that the shower usage is now only an incredible 90 litres of water for all 4 people!

That’s a massive 78% saving on water usage alone!

Of that 90 litres, just 36 litres is hot water VS 160 Litres of hot water to start with.

Over a month , the shower would use just 2700 litres of water and over a year only 32 400 litres of water , saving more than 111 000 litres of water!

That’s almost R2000!

On the electricity side, where the usage was 160 litres of hot water per day, this is now just 36 litres!

It would take 4 days of showering for the geyser to use the same amount of electricity and this would save 78% of that cost per month!

With this strategy in place, the shower would only cost R52-80 per month (vs R240 before) and just R686-00 per year vs R5040 previously!

That’s an annual saving of R4354-00 plus the water saving of R2000 = R 6354-00 per year!

For an investment of just R180?

This is a real no-brainer!

Lastly, if you really want to save even more water- shower together!

EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL OFFER – Click here to Save a massive 30% off your Cobra Shower head.

Solar Cool cuts consumption by 36% at Spar Store & by 50% at Cummins!

March 29, 2016 by Saving Energy

Spar outlet reduce consumption by 36% with Solar Cool.

The 4,000ft sq Spar retail outlet in Glen Easton, Leixlip, was introduced to SunSource by the Irish Spar operator BWG Foods as a representative demonstration site. BWG Foods has a strong presence across the Republic of Ireland through its brand portfolio of Spar, Eurospar, Mace, Londis, XL, Xpress Stop and Value Chain, incorporating over 1,000 retail outlets and convenience stores.

The graph to the left illustrates that the refrigeration system’s average daily savings in electricity consumption are running at 41.5% compared with levels before the installation of
SolarCool’s innovative technologies -this is achieved in the depths of winter’s short days and in Ireland! This showcases that while the solar collectors only contribute savings when the sun shines, the in
store technologies are contributing 24/7. The graph is based on data from measurements taken by multi-meter before and from monitored consumption after the installation.

Michael O’Connor said: “This is a showcase for how the SolarCool family of products performs in the Irish context. A comparable installation across a chain of 13 Filling Stations with convenience stores – the Spar-branded Kay Group in the North of England – has delivered a 36% reduction in electricity consumption on average across its stores over the last 13 months – in line with original projections from SolarCool”.

Intel Quark and Solar Cool

Intel Quark Brian Quinn, director of the Intel Labs Europe Innovation Programme, said: “We have successfully integrated the Intel Quark technology with SunSource’s ingenious energy solution at a local Spar outlet as a test site. The platform and overall solution allows for real-time, remote assessment of energy supply (renewables) and usage within the store, giving opportunity for breakthrough intelligence and hence further efficiency actions. Ultimately assessment will be available to the store owner on a user device such as a smart phone or tablet.”

SunSource Energy Michael O’Connor, managing director of SunSource, said: “We had been looking at the Intel Quark product for some time, it has a number of benefits, not only its core ability to collect the data the customer needs from SolarCool and other energy efficiency installations to see the savings, but even the neatness of the product makes it very versatile for the retail refrigeration applications we are working with. It goes further than electricity of course, on to other resources like water and gas, pretty much anything that can be metered or measured.”

Cummins Generators cuts energy usage by 50% with Solar Cool

The test system offered to Cummins Generator Technologies was a 120kW Chiller system used for cooling the offices at its site in Lynch Wood, Peterborough.

SolarCool has installed its patented multiplexed thermal collection system on the main discharge from the compressors, therefore allowing both compressors to utilise the free energy generated by the sun.

Chris Micallef, technical director for SolarCool International said: “We have retrofitted SolarCool to many different makes of chiller around the world and this system is no different. Therefore we fully expect to achieve savings in line with suns availability as we do elsewhere. In the Bahamas for example we achieve ROI’s as low as six months, simply because they get lots of sun. However we still expect this system to achieve an ROI of no more than two years.”

Justin McKay added: “It’s still very early days, but so far we are seeing efficiencies over 50% reduction in electricity usage. That said we will need to get a least a few more months under our belt before we can commit to further installs, however it all looks positive so far.”