GAUTENG - JSE listed Balwin Properties partners with SolarAfrica to power its market developments with solar energy.
Among the first developments in South Africa which bring cheaper and cleaner energy to residents is Kikuyu and The Whisken.
Kikuyu and The Whisken are modern developments which come standard with prepaid electricity and individual water meters.
Although all Balwin apartments are regarded as eco-friendly, their two newest developments will be the first of its kind to make use of solar energy as a considerable portion of their daily electricity usage- operating in synchrony with an automated load management system.
It's newly-found partner, SolarAfrica specialises in clean energy solutions for the residential market in South Africa.
File image: IOL
Its solutions require little to no capital investment whilst operating and maintaining the systems that generate electricity for use by residential homeowners.
“We are continually tailoring our developments to match market demands, offering innovations in lifestyle, convenience and energy efficiency", says Steve Brookes, CEO of Balwin Properties.
Brookes further adds that although the prepaid meters allow residents to actively manage their electricity consumption, the solar power will additionally save residents on their monthly electricity bill".
SolarAfrica’s current advancement combines effective geyser load management with solar which allows for up to 40% of a development’s total energy requirements to be supplied by solar energy.
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The sophisticated system operates by managing the time and temperature of hot water heating in order to maximise the use of solar energy, as solar PV can only generate energy when the sun shines.
By controlling small fluctuations in temperature, a substantial amount of energy can be stored during the day for use at night.
Smart geyser software also ensures that the hot water temperature for each resident’s water is kept at optimal levels.
Once approved, these projects will be among the first EDGE certified projects to include solar PV technology, energy savings benefits and setting an exciting trend in green homes.
The advanced solar solution will also allow developers to achieve South African National Standard (“SANS”) compliance whilst obtaining a savings in CAPEX.
“When viewed at system-level, a given amount of money will produce better environmental and financial performance if spent on grid-tied rooftop PV powering resistance geysers, than if it were spent on alternative hot water heating technologies", says Warren Gray, Mechanical Engineer at Solid Green Consulting.
Each Balwin apartment block will be fitted with stylish, dual glass, frameless polycrystalline modules which have some of the best performance ratings in the industry and blend well with the architectural style of each building.
'Together, SolarAfrica and Balwin Properties are enthralled to bring the latest advancements in technology to residential developments, creating a sustainable environment by using renewable energy that offers benefits to both the developer and future homeowners'.