logo

Daubenton ~ Solar

Solar Energy Specialists

Services

 As part of our service all paperwork relating to the SSEG application and final commissioning will be handled on our end. With our ECSA professionally registered electrical engineers and DOL registered master installation electricians you can be assured you are in good hands. All solar installation work will be accompanied by a condition report including an electrical engineers sign off and DOL registered installation electricians COC. At an extra cost to the customer a structural engineer may be appointed by request. In the event we deem any structure potentially unsuitable for installation work we will advice on this extra precaution.

Photovoltaic Energy Solutions

One of the primary solutions to energy efficiency is the use of Photovoltaic technology (solar panels) for localised power production. Solar Panels absorb energy (photons) from the sun and generate electrical energy (voltage) through semiconducting materials. While there are a wide variety of solar panels on the market, the typical power (watt) rating for residential use is around 300-600 watts per panel. Although the production range of photovoltaic systems can be anywhere from a few kilowatts to hundreds of megawatts, the average residential household requires between 8-10 kilowatts to power the essential loads.

During the design phase of any project our experienced consultants analyse load requirements and characteristics to best suit a system for its required use. The final design will be based on our data, price point, and the client’s specific requirements.

man on roof installing solar panels

Battery Energy Storage Systems

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) store energy from various renewable sources as well as the grid to be released when needed. BESS systems are fundamental in energy conservation as they store excess energy from renewable sources that are not required to be used by loads at the time of production. Storage devices and configurations are available in a number of voltages. The key difference is that with higher voltage systems an increase in component power (watts) is achieved without an increase in current (amps) making the system more energy efficient while reducing operating temperatures due to higher current for equal power.

While numerous battery technologies exist, the most commonly used are lead acid batteries, AGM, and lithium ion. Lead acid batteries are cheap and versatile as limited technology is required to use them, and they are compatible with most systems. They are heavy for a lower density battery, require more maintenance and have a limited depth of discharge and cycle life compared to newer technologies. Although AGM batteries offer better cycle performance and charge rates compared to lead acid batteries, by far the most efficient and popular batteries are lithium ion. They are a higher density battery with significantly better depth of discharge and cycle life. The most commonly used chemistry in these batteries is lithium iron phosphate which is more environmentally friendly, safer, and more stables than other types of lithium ion technologies.

Often these batteries are equipped with a built in battery management system (BMS) which ensures optimal use of the residual energy in the battery, and protects them from over voltage and deep discharge which result from very high charge rates and extreme discharge current. A battery C rating relates to the charge and discharge current rating. A fully charged 1C rated battery with 100AH capacity is capable of discharging at a rate of 100A for one hour, or 50A for two hours etc. The same battery with a 0.5C Rating will discharge at a rate of 50A over two hours or at a 2C rating 200A over 30min. It is therefore very important to take the battery characteristics and C rating into consideration when designing a system.

Inverters

Inverters convert DC power from renewable and other sources into AC power to either supplement loads, or as a backup during periods of power outage. The three main type of inverters used in solar systems are Grid tied, off grid, and hybrid inverters.

Grid tied inverters use energy from renewable and other sources to supplement loads, as well as feed excess power to the grid that is not required by local loads during production. Because they synchronise with the grid to function when it is unavailable the loads will not be powered.

Similar to grid tied inverters, ‘off grid’ inverters use renewable and other energy sources (generators etc) which it converts to power the loads. However off grid inverters function independently and in place of the grid to power the loads and cannot synchronise with the grid. Typically ‘off grid’ inverters require a battery energy storage system (BESS) to store excess energy to be released when required during periods of limited or no production.

man on roof installing solar panels

Solar Geysers

Solar geyser

Lower energy costs can be achieved in a number of ways including changing light fittings to low energy consumption LED fittings, using timers and smart switches to control those loads that are power hungry and turning non essential loads off altogether periodically. One of the main high energy users that significantly impacts energy costs is a geyser. On average a geyser can use between 2-4 kilowatts of power per hour while heating.

We offer a range of solutions based on the specific requirements from full installations to retrofitting existing systems. For more information please get in touch.