Using renewable energy
Author: Dominic Ferretti
Renewable Energy
Good Energy, in association with Alphatron Pacific Ltd, designs and installs high quality products, correctly specified to your requirements. Trained installers will perform the work to industry standards. The results are customised and are highly reliable packages for:
• Off-grid and grid-tie renewaable energy systems
• Back up power for your home or business
Renewable energy systems with good design and installation can be more reliable than mains power.
To ensure that your system works as planned, and provides you with as much power as required, the following key points are properly addressed during our design
1. Choosing the right renewable energy sources for your site
The three most common options for generating electricity are solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines, and micro-hydro generators.
Sunlight illuminates most habitable places every day of the year so it’s a very reliable energy source.
Wind speeds are a lot more variable, so you can’t count on a wind turbine to provide power every day of the year. However, when it’s windy even small turbines can produce a lot of power.
Not many people have a river or stream on their property – but those that have, may be able to generate all of their power from such a resource.
A combination of different power sources is often required.
Wind and hydro (and sometimes solar) is extremely site specific. Please contact Good Energy for an professional assessment of your site.
2. Choosing to connect to the grid or not
Generally, if you can easily connect to the grid – do so. “Grid-tie” systems keep track of how much excess energy your renewable energy system pumps back into the grid. Some days your generated renewable energy will be larger than your home needs and you will sell that energy back to the grid building up a credit. Other days, you will simply draw on that credit from the grid for extra energy when you need it.
If you live in a more remote location it often is more cost effective to go “Off-grid” than connect to mains power. Here quality components and design are essential for a trouble free and long-life system that generates enough power.
3. Determining how much power you need
Almost all components within your alternative energy system will be sized depending on how large your power usage is. For a cost effective system it pays to be energy wise in your choice of home appliances. Large electrical loads that are typical in many households (e.g. electric water heating, electric stoves and ovens and electric heaters) should be replaced by alternatives such as solar water heating, gas stoves and ovens and wood pellet fires or passive solar heating. Other energy inefficient appliances (e.g. traditional fridge/freezers and lighting) should generally be replaced for energy efficient models that use less than half the energy.
Please contact Good Energy for an evaluation of your electrical usage, and for advice on how to be as energy efficient as possible – in all aspects of your home or business.
4. System design
Once we know how much power you need we chose the right equipment to generate that power from your on-site renewable energy sources. Your design will incorporate components to handle the required level of power as it is transferred into storage and/or used immediately.
If you are off-grid, or want power backup, deep-cycle batteries are essential and generally sized to provide 2-5 days of power to get you through bad weather and/or power cuts. A device called an “inverter” transfers the electrical energy stored in batteries to normal mains power.
If you grid-tie, batteries are not required and the grid acts as your storage. However, without batteries you can be affected by local power cuts unless backup components are installed.
Your individual location, requirements and power usage will determine your individual system.
Solar powered Piha cafe
Off grid system components
Solar water heating grants and finance
Azzuro solar water heating components
Commercial Energy Solutions
Large scale solar water heating systems for dairy sheds, pools, apartments etc.
Large scale solar/wind/hydro generation (up to about 100 kW).
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