Eskom information and off grid systems

Powering your home, business, vehicle, farm, or cabin with solar energy, but also another “back-up system” for in case you have lots of rain and a cloudy environment.   Gas and generations systems are also options.   

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Daar is reeds families en besighede wat poog om totaal weg te beweeg van ‘n duur Eskom stelsel.    Heelwat het dit al vir dekades reggekry sonder om van Eskom afhanklik te wees.    En niemand beweer dit is gratis of goedkoop nie.   Myns insiens, behoort geleidelik wegbeweeg te word van die duur, lomp en oneffektiewe Eskom, waar daar net te veel korrupsie en sabotasie plaasvind.   Hierdie wat so steel en nooit vervolg word nie, dink hulle moet ons verewig in ‘n swart put aanhou.

Inderwaarheid is dit ons belastinggeld, ons bydraes en aankoop, waarmee geterroriseer word.   Indien diegene wat hier werksaam is, en dit geld vir enige besigheid, instansie of selfs op plase, nie ook hul kant bring nie, waarom moet hul aangehou en onderhou word om ons, die kliënte, te terroriseer?    

Instandhouding van alles is belangrik, so ook ‘n Eskom, SAL en alle ander staatsentiteite.   Doelbewuste vernietiging is niks anders as sabotasie en terrorisme nie.  Die wat kan, behoort dit te doen en daar kan selfs in gemeenskappe hierop voortgebou word wat werkskepping aanmoedig.   

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BACKGROUND OF ESKOM

South Africa exports electricity to seven countries in Southern Africa.    Those are:   Zimbabwe, Lesotho, eSwatini, Namibia, Botswana. Mozambique and Zambia.  Zimbabwe is not only importing electricity from  South Africa but from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique.

http://www.702.co.za/articles/323093/did-you-know-sa-exports-electricity-to-seven-countries-in-southern-africa

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According to the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa’s total domestic electricity generation capacity is 58,095 megawatts (MW) from all sources.

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THERE WAS NO SOUTH AFRICA IN 1800-1802 – ONLY CERTAIN PARTS WERE RULED BY THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND DIFFERENT WARS FOLLOWED

The British Empire ruled part of the country and different wars were still ongoing, especially between blacks.   Later the Anglo Boer Wars followed.

Dating the late 1800s, electricity in SA (southern Africa) has had a rich history. From the 1882 introduction of streetlights in Kimberley to the SA’s first energy grid in Johannesburg circa 1891, electricity has fulfilled many important social and industrial purposes. One of the most critical was servicing the gold mining boom of the 1900s. 

Upon the Electricity Act’s ratification, the SA energy industry was positioned to be controlled and regulated directly by the government. Subsequently, the Electricity Supply Commission (ESCOM, also referred to as Eskom) was created on 1 March 1923. Chaired by scientist Dr. Hendrik Johannes van der Bijl, ESCOM sought to achieve a lofty, self-stated mission.   

(The Union of South Africa was still ruled from London and under British control).

Eskom is a 100% state-owned electricity company that provides energy to greater South Africa (SA). Featuring 30 power plants and a nominal generating capacity of 44,172 megawatts (MW), Eskom services 6.2 million direct customers.  Given its massive size and government-sponsored status, the utility conglomerate is the backbone of South Africa’s energy infrastructure.

read more …

https://www.fxcm.com/za/insights/eskom-troubles-impacting-south-african-economy/

https://www.polity.org.za/article/no-eskom-doesnt-generate-45-of-electricity-used-in-africa-2020-01-27


DAAR WAS NOG GEEN SUID-AFRIKA IN 1800’S NIE – SLEGS SEKERE DELE IN DIE LAND WAS GEANNEKSEER, EN LATER NA DIE ANGLO-BOERE OORLOë, IS DIT OOK AFGENEEM EN DEUR DIE BRITTE BEHEER


In die laat 1800’s was dit die Britse kroon wat nog hul stempel probeer afdruk het veral in die mynbedryf.  Let op waar daar “ontwikkelings” begin is, oral waar daar minerale verkry is, was daar gevegte wat plaasgevind het.   Van oral het immigrante ingekom om hierdie myne te beheer.  En hulle doen dit vandag steeds. 

Dit was die Britse weermag wat Johannesburg en Witwatersrand binnegeval het om minerale regte daar te verkry.   Dink net aan al die elite Britse mynmagnate (Randlords) wat hier (en ook Kimberley) kom nesskop het. 

Dis ook hier waar hul hulself vasgeloop het teen die President van die ZAR, wat nie aan immigrante stemreg of verblyfreg wou gee nie – immers was dit sy en sy burgers se reg om dit te doen.  Destyds was ons maar twee klein erkende onafhanklike lande, wat nie ‘n bestaan gegun was om self ekonomies te groei nie.   Engeland het haat aangevuur destyds en dis nie net in suidelike Afrika gedoen nie.   Hul wou hul eie besighede rondom myne kom vestig vir eie gewin en daarom is Paul Kruger destyds so aangeval oor sy emigrasie beleid.   Hulle het van Paul Kruger ‘n slaansak gemaak en daar was nie net geboelie nie.   Daar het baie bloed gevloei en veral die konsentrasiekampe en grafte vandag getuig hiervan.

Doen alle lande dit nie maar vandag ook nie.  Elke land het vandag steeds hul eie emigrasie beleid en verseker het Engeland ook ‘n emigrasie beleid selfs vir haar kolonies gehad.  Rusland, China, die hele Europa het destyds almal emigrasie beleide gehad en dis steeds in werking.  Niemand kan vandag net ‘n land se grense oorsteek en daar gaan bly nie.   Alle lande het emigrasie vereistes wat nagekom moet word.   

Ironies, was dit ook opgeteken dat Elektrisiteit in suidelike Afrika (LET WEL daar was nog geen land soos Suid-Afrika in 1800’s nie),  het sedert die laat 1800’s ‘n ryk geskiedenis gehad.     Het alles gegaan oor gerief en ontwikkeling.  Vanaf die bekendstelling van straatligte in Kimberley in 1882 tot die suidelike Afrika se eerste energienetwerk in Johannesburg omstreeks 1891, het elektrisiteit baie belangrike sosiale en industriële doeleindes vervul. Een van die belangrikste aspekte was om die goudmynboom van die 1900’s te bedien.    

Met die bekragtiging van die Wet op Elektrisiteit is die SA energiebedryf gepos om regstreeks deur die regering beheer en gereguleer te word. Vervolgens is die elektrisiteitsvoorsieningskommissie (ESCOM, ook wel Eskom genoem) op 1 Maart 1923 op die been gebring. Onder voorsitterskap van wetenskaplike dr Hendrik Johannes van der Bijl, het ESCOM gepoog om ‘n verhewe, selfverklaarde missie te bereik.

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WHO WAS HE?
Eskom H J van der Bijl

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Tralac (2015)

The following table shows different countries, also the number of electrical outages in a typical month is 5.5 and last for approximately 2.7 hours each. This translates into a loss of 2.5% of annual sales.  

Another table shows that South Africa (2007) has 18.4% of firms owning or sharing a generator. As this was before the load shedding crisis of 2007/2008 and the current round of load shedding one may assume that this figure has increased markedly. Middle East and North Africa (57.9%), Sub-Saharan Africa (45.8%) and South Asia (43.4%) fare the worst in terms of percentage of firms making use of a generator. These three blocs account for the greatest proportion of electricity from a generator with South Africa having amongst the lowest proportion of electricity from a generator. Only 20.8% of firms in 2007 identified electricity as a major constraint in South Africa but with several ratings agencies, banks and economists identifying electricity provision as one of the key structural constraints in South Africa’s economic development as of 2015 this has only surely increased. On all three of these indicators South Africa has fared considerably better than Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing nations.

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AS ALLES MOET AFGAAN, WAT DAN?

Dit is maklik om te sê gaan van die Eskom stelsel af, dit kan gedoen word.  Ongelukkig kos alles geld en nie almal is in staat om dit te doen nie. 

Doen dit maandeliks en gaan geleidelik weg van ‘n Eskom dat die huishouding of besighede permanent onafhanklik word. 

Dit sou ideaal gewees het as ons as Boere en Afrikaner konserwatiewe volk ons eie gebiede gehad het om beter voorsorg te tref.  En sou krag totaal uitgaan is dit ‘n groot veiligheidsrisiko, nie net op maatskaplike en gesondheids gebied nie.   Families moet begin om na hul eie siekes om te sien, en daar is ook metodes hoe dit gedoen kan word, wat ook finansiële uitgawes beteken.   

Die jeug kan ook betrek word om soos in die verlede “diens” te doen op veiligheid  en maatskaplike gebiede waar hul opleiding en fisiese dade of pligte uitvoer – amper soos “gap jare”.   Dit word ook oorsee in Holland gedoen, waar jeuglede daar na siekes of selfs kinders omsien in die onderwysberoepe.


WHAT IF THERE IS A TOTAL BLACKOUT   

It is easy to say, get off the grid, but it will cost all of us a fortune in future.   

If a complete national blackout were to hit, it would have severe consequences. At the moment, when load shedding is implemented, facilities like hospitals, train networks and airports are spared; but in the worst case scenario Eskom would not have this option. Within hours or days, most UPS systems and backup generators would run out of juice.   Sick or even old age people need to take this also into consideration if you are “living” in a hospital or old age resort.   Children and family members need to take action to assist their family members.   

Hospitals would close, trains would not run and airports would shut down. Police and fire stations would be unable to function properly. Banks would be unable to operate. Cell phone towers would run out of power within hours so even if you had a charged handset, it’s unlikely that you’d be able to make calls. After a while, some water reservoirs would start running dry because there would be no power to pump water into them. Sewage systems would be hit as well; fuel pipelines (and eventually your car’s tank) would run dry.    

https://ewn.co.za/Features/how-to-survive-load-shedding

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How to survive with load shedding

TIPS AND TRICKS TO SURVIVE LOAD SHEDDING:

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1. Go Solar. Install a solar geyser, get solar lamps to put outside in the garden and take inside when the lights are out. There is also a solar cellphone charger available. You can put it on your dash board while driving and if you get home and there’s no electricity, you can still charge your phone.
2. Get gas. Gas stoves are becoming a popular choice for people who are building a new home or re-doing their kitchen. There’s also the portable option: you can buy a camping gas stove. This way you can cook food or boil the kettle even if there’s no electricity.
3. Use empy plastic cool drink bottles and fill them with water and place in your deep freeze. If the power is out for a long time, you can take them out and put them in your fridge to keep food cold until the power comes back on. It also will create extra freezing in the deep freeze to keep your meats from thawing.
4. Battery operated lights. You can get laterns, torches and other battery operated lights to keep around the house when the power goes off. It’s less dangerous than using just candles.
5. Get a head torch or cap. Many of these are available at your local hardware store. You can strap the head torch around your head or get a cap with a fitted light so that you can walk around the house easily, without trying to make your way in the dark.
6. Get a generator. Often this is the more expensive option, but depending on your needs and your budget, getting a generator may be a good idea. You can get ones that will keep the entire house powered or smaller ones to just keep the fridge running and perhaps the tv on.
7. Make sure you have car chargers for your cell phone and iPad. This way you can always make sure your phone is charged while driving before you get to your destination and there’s no electricity.

The cost of appliances and how much electricity they use on a monthly basis, according to Eskom Energy calculator

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OFF GRID EXAMPLE

The Pretoria-based Dreckmeyrs, is an example who have lived completely off the grid for around 10 years.  Their home is powered by a 5kW-per-hour solar array paired with a 2kW-per-hour wind turbine, allowing the house to constantly generate electricity.

The systems are managed by an intelligent IoT system which can provide the residents with various notifications and alerts dynamically.   Inus Dreckmeyr is an electrical engineer and CEO of Netshield South Africa, and has leveraged his expertise in the industry to build his home’s renewable energy system.  “Our system supplies power to our household housing five people,” said Dreckmeyr.   “We have no connection to the grid and supply our own water from an on-property borehole.

Dreckmeyr said living with their energy system made his family learn more about electricity optimisation and efficient appliances.   “Initially, when we moved in after the construction and completion of the house, we used the same household appliances as we used in our previous house,” he said.    “There was no direct change to any appliances as such, but everyone in the household became more energy-conscious and changed their lifestyle to improve their energy consumption.”

The house was also fitted with LED lighting to improve power consumption, with high-intensity lighting for reading still available.   “As household appliances fail and needed replacing, we ensured that all the new appliances are as energy-efficient as possible – at least A++ rated,” said Dreckmeyr.

Dreckmeyr’s system is managed by a simple IoT system, which monitors almost every facet of the installation. This includes:

• Solar array alignment
• Solar array production
• MPPTs
• Inverters
• Battery temperature
• Roof temperature
• Air flow
• Instant and accumulative consumption
• Generator fuel
• Surge protection elements

Using a simple but effective IoT implementation like this can dramatically reduce the amount of work required to keep the energy system running, he said.

“Living off the grid enhances your lifestyle and teaches your kids the value of green energy and the consideration of our planet,” added Dreckmeyr.    “More people should do this to experience the absolute thrill of energy independence.”

“No load shedding, no effects from Eskom strikes, no energy bill, no increase in energy costs, and best of all – our lights are always on.”

https://mybroadband.co.za/news/energy/264709-forget-load-shedding-this-south-african-family-has-lived-off-the-eskom-grid-for-10-years.html

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The cost of off-grid solar installations has decreased significantly over the past 10 years, with the prices of some components falling nearly 70%, according to Specialized Solar Systems’ website.

“The price of solar panels has decreased to around R5 per watt generating capacity compared to between R11 and R12 per watt 10 years ago,” says Bergs. This means a 100-watt solar panel costs some R500 today compared to R1,200 in 2008.

Inverters – the heart of a solar system that converts 12 volt direct current to 220 volt alternating current to run household appliances – have also decreased in price, while their capacity, quality, effectiveness and features have improved significantly. For instance, most modern pure sine wave inverters are cheaper than the older modified sine wave inverters, and even cheaper than the bigger and bulkier square wave inverters of years ago.

https://www.cbn.co.za/featured/how-i-have-lived-eskom-free-for-10-years/

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SA Parliament Eskom 2 September 2020

Eskom capture

Eskom design faults

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Before purchasing an on-grid solar system, it’s important to determine how large of an array you need to meet all of your home energy needs. Online tools, like the PVWatts Calculator from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), make the math easy for you. During the solar panel installation, the PV modules are connected to an inverter. There are several types of solar inverters on the market, but they all do the same thing: convert the direct current (DC) electricity from the sun into the alternating current (AC) that you need to run most household appliances. 

https://greencoast.org/on-grid-vs-off-grid-solar-systems/

In South Africa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Australia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLhlm-iZFVI