Solar energy is becoming more and more popular as a source of renewable energy. However, many people are unaware that using chemicals derived from fossil fuels is necessary to harness the power of the sun.
Almost all solar panels are built using the same principle, converting sunlight into energy. A photovoltaic component, which converts sunlight into energy, is usually sandwiched between layers of copolymers. In many copolymers, ethylene – derived from oil and natural gas – serves as one of the petrochemical building blocks.

Mistakes To Avoid When Investing In Solar Power
Solar power is a wonderful thing. Creating energy for free from the rays of the sun is genius and available to every human being. But before you go ahead and invest in a solar energy solution for your home or office, read below so you can avoid making these common mistakes related to solar power.

Not Doing Any Research
While there are many professionals out there that can answer the many questions you might have, it’s vital to do at least some research of your own. By doing this, you eliminate the risk of receiving false information from a ‘not-so-professional’ contractor who only cares about the profit he/she is going to make. It’s a great idea to have some idea of what type of system you want to invest in.

Making a Decision Based on Price
Not every solar heating system is created equal. More often than not, the cheapest product isn’t the best option. And when you invest your money in this type of system, you’ll want to make sure it’s a high-quality product. What you want is the best value for money.

Not Hiring a Professional for Your Installation
You can DIY many things, but a solar system isn’t one of them. If you want a system that will last for many years to come, you need a professional like Renaissance Solar to source quality products and manage the installation for you.

For more information, give us a call today!

Solar energy was invented in 1839, but it wasn’t until the 1950’s that we decided to power satellites in outer space. From there, solar technology advanced into what we know and use today. It’s no secret that solar power is the cleanest form of renewable energy.
How Do Solar Water Heating Panels Work?
PV panels (photovoltaic panels) are used to convert the rays of the sun into electricity. This is achieved when electrons move into silicon cells using photons of light whenever the sun is shining.
Solar power can be used to power your entire home or business or even just part of it. It’s the most reliable source of energy available today thanks to solar battery banks. That’s right, you can store solar energy for use at night or when it’s overcast for a few days in a row.
What is the Lifespan of Solar Panels?
The two primary types of solar heating panels are evacuated tube systems and flat plate systems. These products are expected to last anything from 25 – 30 years. Solar panels might indeed lose some efficiency in later years, but degradation rates are minor. Most solar panels work at 90% of their capacity after ten years.
Are Solar Batteries Worth the Investment?
Solar batteries allow you to store the additional energy produced by your solar panels instead of sending it back into the electricity grid. This way, you can maximise your solar energy usage daily. Whenever you require more electricity than your solar panels are producing, for example on a cloudy day or at night, you can easily use stored electricity.
How do Solar Batteries Work?
A solar battery is charged with the energy generated by your solar panels. In the average scenario, most power is used in the morning and evening. Since the sun generates the most energy when you’re not home during the day, all that energy feeds into the electricity grid feeds into the batteries— the energy you can use to power your home.

If you install solar batteries, you can store the excess energy generated by your solar panels for use any time you need them. Studies have shown that most people receive a minimum of 15% That sounds too low ROI by adding a solar battery to their solar energy system.

By closely monitoring your solar panels and usage, you can predict exactly how much energy your panels will generate and when to store it in your solar battery to cut electricity costs.

You can expect your lithium ion solar battery to last between 10 – 15 years, after which it will continue to work, just not at full capacity, and standby time will reduce gradually.

For more information about solar energy and how to successfully store it, get in touch with the team at Renaissance Solar. With extensive experience in the solar industry and many successful solar solutions installed, we have the skills and expertise needed to offer you the best solar solution available. Give us a call for a free consultation today!

Power output is an essential metric for your residential or commercial solar panel system. During the purchase and installation of your solar energy system, the price is calculated on the complete power output of the solar panels and displayed in watts or kilowatts. ( many other factors determine price too: size of inverter, number of batteries)

Three vital factors control the amount of electricity produced by solar panels: Panel size, solar cell efficiency and the amount of sunlight the panel receives.
Panel Size
The term “solar panel” indicates the traditional silicon PV panel typically used for residential applications. Each solar panel contains little squares that are individual solar cells. Linked by wires, these cells are where the magic happens, and electricity is made. The more solar cells work together, the more power they create. If you’re trying to calculate how much electricity your panel will create, the size matters.

While the standard size of solar panels remains the same, modern panels generate more electricity. Mainly due to improvements in cell efficiency by the manufacturers.
Solar Cell Efficiency
In the mid-1900s, the first solar cells could use 6% of the sun’s energy to convert into electricity. These days, the efficiency is closer to 25% in more advanced solar cells, with an average efficiency of around 19% for residential use. By combining the size of the panel with the efficiency of the cells, you get the power rating.
Power Rating
Panels come in many different wattage ratings, but the most advanced solar panel produces nearly 320 watts of power. (dont know where you get this from) These types of panels tend to be more expensive but work well if you only have limited space on your roof. Your solar installation team will assist you in determining exactly how many panels you would need to produce sufficient energy for your home.
How Many kW Solar Do I Need?

Depending on where you are in South Africa and what time of year it is, solar panels will generate a different amount of power. Adding more solar panels to your system is possible after installation, but you should size your system accurately based on your anticipated energy consumption.

If you’re thinking about switching to solar, speak to the team at Renaissance Solar to see how we can help you generate enough solar energy for your home. Get in touch today!

Are you interested in taking your home as much off the grid as possible but can’t seem to find the right time to do so. The team at Rennaissance Solar can assist. We know all there is to know about solar power.

Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of calculating the number of solar panels is estimating your household’s annual energy usage. Various consumer products that are on the larger side can change your requirements significantly. For example, if you are heating a swimming pool or have an air conditioning system, the size of your solar solution will change drastically.
Calculating Your Solar Panel Requirements
If you’re wondering how to estimate energy consumption numbers and how many solar panels you’ll need, here’s the breakdown. Start by looking at how many kWh (kilowatt-hours) of electricity you use annually. Your service provider can provide you with a summary of your total power consumption over the last 12 months.

One kWh is equal to 1000 watts per hour. If you have 20 lights in your home that use 50-watt bulbs, you’ll use one kWh of electricity by having every light switched on for one hour. The average household uses around 10 000 to 11 000 kWh per year.

Look at your monthly electricity bills and see what you are spending per month and/or the units consumed. If it is around R1500 – R2 000 per month then a 5kVa Hybrid system will suit you with 8 x 455W panels and 1 x 5.5kWh Lithium Ion battery. If it is around R2 500 per month you need more like 10 panels and 2 batteries.

When you get to R3 500 per month you need an 8kVa inverter, 14 panels and 2 or 3 batteries.
And if around R4 000 a month then it’s 10kVa of the inverter, 16 Panels and 2 – 3 batteries. And so on …

How Many kWh Can Solar Panels Generate?
The amount of kWh solar panels can generate will depend on their exposure to sunlight. This will vary according to where you are in South Africa as well as what time of year it is.

While it’s possible to add more solar panels after the initial installation, the best option is to accurately size your system based on your prospective energy consumption. If you plan to invest in an air conditioning system, it must be taken into account.

If you’re a homeowner in the early stages of solar shopping and you would just like a ballpark estimate for an installation, we suggest you book a consultation with the team at Renaissance Solar. Give us a call today!

Here’s a question for you to start with; do you realise that up to 40% of your household’s electricity is accounted for purely through the heating of water? 

That translates to a very greedy, hungry geyser that you could really do without in the current economy, which has begun to lead many to the question; solar geyser?

One just can’t help trying to find ways to break the stranglehold Eskom has on our lives, and shaving 40% off the electricity bill every month is extremely attractive, for a start.

After all, not everyone can start out with a Grid Tie or Hybrid solar system, but a solar hot water system is well within the financial reach of most, which is great news when it comes with savings like this.

Solar Hot Water?

What is a solar geyser and exactly how does it work? Most of us get tied up in knots when it comes to the tech-speak that abounds in the solar industry, however, there is genuine help out there for us, in the form of the team at Renaissance Solar in Cape Town.

What we’ll do here is to look at the basics of these questions, just to whet your appetite enough to get you going, and then we’ll leave it up to the awesome team at Renaissance Solar to fill in the gaps, once you contact them.

How do solar geysers work?

When it comes to making a largish purchase like a solar geyser, you need expert guidance on hand, so that you’ll be able to make an informed decision about buying a solar geyser, one that will be of the greatest benefit to you, and last for as long as it should.

The team at Renaissance Solar have been supplying and installing solar geysers in Cape Town since 2009, which means you can rely on this down-to-earth team to give you the pros and cons of each solar geyser, without shrinking from being honest about each that you may be interested in.

Solar hot water geysers rely on a system of convection, which is just a fancy word for warm water rising, which is how the water circulates through the panels.

If you choose to install your solar geyser on the roof with the panel, then there is a natural thermo-syphon (NTS) working where the hot water in the panels rises and circulates itself into the solar geyser.

NTS can’t take place if your solar geyser is located at a lower level than the solar panels on the roof, which means you’re going to need to add a circulating pump to create the circulation discussed above.

Two different types of solar hot water systems

Frost plays a pretty big role in the decision you make when it comes to the solar geyser you choose, which boils down to an indirect solar water heater in a frost prone area, and in a frost-free area the better choice would be a direct solar geyser.

Get the right advice from the solar experts at Renaissance Solar!

With over 10 years’ worth of experience in Cape Town, you can rely on the professionals at Renaissance Solar to give you the right advice, when it comes to choosing the best solar hot water system to suit your hot water requirements, at great prices.

Contact Renaissance Solar today to find out why this local team is the go-to solar power company in Cape Town, and why their customers really appreciate the quality and service excellence that sets this team completely apart from the rest.

 

Here’s a question for you to start with; do you realise that up to 40% of your household’s electricity is accounted for purely through the heating of water? 

That translates to a very greedy, hungry geyser that you could really do without in the current economy, which has begun to lead many to the question; solar geyser?

One just can’t help trying to find ways to break the stranglehold Eskom has on our lives, and shaving 40% off the electricity bill every month is extremely attractive, for a start.

After all, not everyone can start out with a Grid Tie or Hybrid solar system, but a solar hot water system is well within the financial reach of most, which is great news when it comes with savings like this.

Solar Geyser

What is a solar geyser and exactly how does it work? Most of us get tied up in knots when it comes to the tech-speak that abounds in the solar industry, however, there is genuine help out there for us, in the form of the team at Renaissance Solar in Cape Town.

What we’ll do here is to look at the basics of these questions, just to whet your appetite enough to get you going, and then we’ll leave it up to the awesome team at Renaissance Solar to fill in the gaps, once you contact them.

How do solar geysers work?

When it comes to making a largish purchase like a solar geyser, you need expert guidance on hand, so that you’ll be able to make an informed decision about buying a solar geyser, one that will be of the greatest benefit to you, and last for as long as it should.

The team at Renaissance Solar have been supplying and installing solar geysers in Cape Town since 2009, which means you can rely on this down-to-earth team to give you the pros and cons of each solar geyser, without shrinking from being honest about each that you may be interested in.

Solar hot water geysers rely on a system of convection, which is just a fancy word for warm water rising, which is how the water circulates through the panels.

If you choose to install your solar geyser on the roof with the panel, then there is a natural thermo-syphon (NTS) working where the hot water in the panels rises and circulates itself into the solar geyser. 

NTS can’t take place if your solar geyser is located at a lower level than the solar panels on the roof, which means you’re going to need to add a circulating pump to create the circulation discussed above.

Two different types of solar hot water systems

Frost plays a pretty big role in the decision you make when it comes to the solar geyser you choose, which boils down to an indirect solar water heater in a frost prone area, and in a frost-free area the better choice would be a direct solar geyser.

Get the right advice from the solar experts at Renaissance Solar!

With over 10 years’ worth of experience in Cape Town, you can rely on the professionals at Renaissance Solar to give you the right advice, when it comes to choosing the best solar hot water system to suit your hot water requirements, at great prices.

Contact Renaissance Solar today to find out why this local team is the go-to solar power company in Cape Town, and why their customers really appreciate the quality and service excellence that sets this team completely apart from the rest.

 

Do you have any questions about PV solar energy systems? Like many of us, most of the terms involved in the solar industry seem to be way above our understanding. 

This is why we seek answers, especially when we’re getting ready to switch from unreliable Eskom, to completely reliable sunshine for electricity.

We’re all worn out by high electricity tariffs and the load shedding that accompanies them. Just when we get a break and get comfortable, boom, the next round starts, and we have to scramble to plan our lives around yet another round of load shedding.

Only South Africans know what load shedding means. Mention the term to a New Yorker or Parisian, and they’ll have no idea what you’re talking about. 

Can you imagine the whole of America going dark like we do? And having no recourse to do anything about it, because there’s only one power giant in control of it all?

Happily, in South Africa we do have a recourse, and that is to invest in PV solar energy systems, no matter how small you start, to thwart the stranglehold Eskom has on your life.

PV Solar energy systems?

Essentially, PV solar energy systems (the PV standing for Photovoltaic Systems), are power systems that have been designed to provide power through the use of sunlight and photovoltaics. In other words, it’s a way of generating electricity from the sun, which is then converted for domestic or commercial use.

The basic components of a PV solar energy system boil down to:

• PV solar panels – choosing high quality PV solar panels is essential, since this is where sunlight is converted into electricity
• The inverter – the inverter converts the electric current from DC to AC
• Mounting – the mounting of your solar panels is very important, especially if you consider the wind and storms it has to withstand year after year. Most good quality PV solar panels should last up to and even beyond 25 years
• Electrical accessories, cabling and other accessories used in setting up your full PV solar system
• Battery – if you’re going for a Hybrid PV solar system or Grid Tie PV solar system, you may want to chat to the team at Renaissance Solar about the benefits of including a backup battery system, although this is not a necessity and can be added at a later stage. Batteries are still one of the most expensive components of any PV solar system, but with regular load shedding, they store energy accumulated during the day to be used at night, more than making up for their cost.

Introducing PV solar energy systems from Renaissance Solar

Renaissance Solar is a Cape Town based solar company that has earned a phenomenal reputation for service excellence, quality products and customer care that is truly unbeatable, with knowledge and experience in the solar industry that goes as far back as 2009.

If you want down-to-earth answers to your questions, contact Renaissance Solar. This is one team of experts who really enjoy sharing their knowledge with anyone interested in changing their world with solar power!

Whether you’d like to start with a Solar Hot Water System, or take a step up to a Hybrid PV Solar System or Grid Tie System, bring your dream and budget to Renaissance Solar, to get the ball rolling in the right direction for a future of free electricity.

 

  Wondering about PV solar electricity? Especially about the positive impact it could have on your life in a day and age when electricity tariffs are skyrocketing, and load shedding is almost a natural event in all our lives.

Well, you may be surprised to learn that South Africa imported a massive R2.2 billion worth of PV solar panels, just in the first five months of 2022, according to a Reuters analysis of customs data.

This goes to show the huge movement towards getting in on solar power, when it comes to residential properties and businesses, most of whom have already seen exceptional savings in the first year of changing over to PV solar electricity.

In a Businesstech Article on the 15th August 2022, Frank Spencer, Spokesman for the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association said; “It’s completely unrecognised by the government as to how big an industry it’s become”, he said, “it’s a silent revolution”, and he definitely hit the nail on the head here.

The demand for PV solar electricity is growing in leaps and bounds, and nothing is going to stop it now, especially not in sunny South Africa!

PV solar electricity?

If we’re looking at the most common PV solar systems today, it would have to be the Grid Tie PV solar system or Hybrid Solar system, from Renaissance Solar in Cape Town.

This local team has gone to bat to make it as easy as possible for the average South African to start wherever they can, to build the right PV solar system to meet their energy requirements.

Most systems can be upgraded as your budget allows for it, but keep in mind that Renaissance Solar has finance offers available that might just be right up your alley for a start.

Talking about starting, let’s begin with the least expensive PV system to install, which is the Load-Shedder. The Load Shedder consists of an Inverter and Batteries, which is exactly what you need to get you through load shedding, without interruption.

Next step up, we have the Grid Tie PV solar system. This system is a less expensive system to begin with, however, it is still connected to the power grid, which as we all know, isn’t the most stable.

The Grid Tie PV solar system is made up of solar panels and an inverter, but doesn’t have a backup battery, which means that you won’t be able to enjoy your favourite cup of java when load shedding hits.

Taking the next step up, we get to the Hybrid PV solar system, which, due to the inclusion of backup batteries, is a more expensive system than the Grid Tie system.

Because the backup batteries are charged by the sun during the day, you’ll have all the power you need to get through load shedding, which means you’ll hardly notice when it’s happening, unless you step outside to see your town in darkness.

Work with Renaissance Solar for the best in PV solar electricity!

Whether you’re ready to invest in solar power, or simply have a 100 questions to ask, contact Renaissance Solar to find out more about how they can work with you to design the perfect system to meet your power requirements, and still have some left over!

The team at Renaissance Solar will register your system with the City of Cape Town on your behalf, as all PV solar systems have to be registered for authorisation; this is customer service at its best!  

If you’d like to know a little more about this awesome team, you simply have to check out the testimonials of their customers, to know that you’ll be onto a good thing by choosing this team to take you into the future of solar power.

 

Wondering about PV solar electricity? Especially about the positive impact it could have on your life in a day and age when electricity tariffs are skyrocketing, and load shedding is almost a natural event in all our lives.

Well, you may be surprised to learn that South Africa imported a massive R2.2 billion worth of PV solar panels, just in the first five months of 2022, according to a Reuters analysis of customs data.

This goes to show the huge movement towards getting in on solar power, when it comes to residential properties and businesses, most of whom have already seen exceptional savings in the first year of changing over to PV solar electricity.

In a Businesstech Article on the 15th August 2022, Frank Spencer, Spokesman for the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association said; “It’s completely unrecognised by the government as to how big an industry it’s become”, he said, “it’s a silent revolution”, and he definitely hit the nail on the head here.

The demand for PV solar electricity is growing in leaps and bounds, and nothing is going to stop it now, especially not in sunny South Africa!

PV solar electricity?

If we’re looking at the most common PV solar systems today, it would have to be the Grid Tie PV solar system or Hybrid Solar system, from Renaissance Solar in Cape Town.

This local team has gone to bat to make it as easy as possible for the average South African to start wherever they can, to build the right PV solar system to meet their energy requirements.

Most systems can be upgraded as your budget allows for it, but keep in mind that Renaissance Solar has finance offers available that might just be right up your alley for a start.

Talking about starting, let’s begin with the least expensive PV system to install, which is the Load-Shedder. The Load Shedder consists of an Inverter and Batteries, which is exactly what you need to get you through load shedding, without interruption.

Next step up, we have the Grid Tie PV solar system. This system is a less expensive system to begin with, however, it is still connected to the power grid, which as we all know, isn’t the most stable.

The Grid Tie PV solar system is made up of solar panels and an inverter, but doesn’t have a backup battery, which means that you won’t be able to enjoy your favourite cup of java when load shedding hits.

Taking the next step up, we get to the Hybrid PV solar system, which, due to the inclusion of backup batteries, is a more expensive system than the Grid Tie system.

Because the backup batteries are charged by the sun during the day, you’ll have all the power you need to get through load shedding, which means you’ll hardly notice when it’s happening, unless you step outside to see your town in darkness.

Work with Renaissance Solar for the best in PV solar electricity!

Whether you’re ready to invest in solar power, or simply have a 100 questions to ask, contact Renaissance Solar to find out more about how they can work with you to design the perfect system to meet your power requirements, and still have some left over!

The team at Renaissance Solar will register your system with the City of Cape Town on your behalf, as all PV solar systems have to be registered for authorisation; this is customer service at its best!  

If you’d like to know a little more about this awesome team, you simply have to check out the testimonials of their customers, to know that you’ll be onto a good thing by choosing this team to take you into the future of solar power.

 

As with everything else in our technology-driven world, huge advances in the sphere of PV (Photovoltaic) technology has increased the conversion efficiency of PV solar panels by leaps and bounds, which leaves us with the question; PV solar efficiency?

We obviously want PV solar to be efficient, since it’s one of the greatest hopes for most South Africans, living with a beleaguered electricity grid, to be free from its consistently unstable performance and endless rounds of load shedding, for which there is seldom any warning.

Add to this the exorbitant cost of merely heating water, keeping appliances running and keeping the lights on and we’ve about hit ground zero when it comes to deciding to cut ties with Eskom, at least as much as our budgets will allow!

PV solar efficiency?

Considering that buying a PV solar system isn’t cheap, we naturally want to know that finding the funds to make the investment will be worth it, which goes to the question of the efficiency of PV solar.

Bottom line, PV solar panel efficiency is based on the amount of sunlight that shines onto the panel and is then converted into electricity, a conversion efficiency that has reached an average of pretty well over 20%, according to most experts.

What this means, in essence, is that the power rating considered of a standard size PV solar panel has increased from what used to be 250W, to 370W and more today.

PV solar panel efficiency factors to take into account

There are two main factors to take into account when determining the efficiency of PV solar, which are:

Photovoltaic (PV) cell efficiency

The type of silicone used and design of the individual photovoltaic cell contributes to its efficiency, such as whether either a P-type or N-type of silicone is used. The cell efficiency is also determined by the type of substrate used and the actual photovoltaic cell structure, with its efficiency calculated by a very technical term called the fill factor (FF), which gives you what will be the maximum conversion rate of sunlight to electricity.

This is all about calculating the optimum operating voltage and current that can be expected of the cell itself.

PV solar panel efficiency

The efficiency of a complete PV solar panel is determined by the layout and configuration of the photovoltaic cells, as well as by the size of the panel itself.

There is a lot more attached to understanding PV solar efficiency, but the best way to get to grips with questions as complicated as these would be to chat to the solar experts at Renaissance Solar.

This is their bailiwick, and the passion that drives their commitment to excellence and quality solar products, will assure you of a clear understanding of the principles behind PV solar efficiency, before you even get to designing the ideal PV solar system for your home or business.

Choose Renaissance Solar for top PV solar efficiency!

Quality products and workmanship, along with a sheer dedication for meeting the needs of their customers from start to finish, and beyond, is your guarantee from Renaissance Solar of an investment in a PV solar system that works efficiently, and will meet all your solar energy requirements!

Whether you dream of going completely off the grid, plan to buy a Hybrid PV solar system or Grid Tie solar system, if you live in Cape Town, then Renaissance Solar is the team to trust with your foray into the world of solar energy!