Saying Goodbye to Eskom is cheaper than you think
CapeInfo’s Smarter Living Project started off to determine what one really needs to go off the electrical grid — is it as expensive as people say or, if one adapts one’s lifestyle, is it affordable or… even cheaper. Off-the-grid in this case meant no external electric sources at all — no Eskom, no municipal connection. Cooking was done using gas and […]
Solar panel window blinds
This is for my wish list but you can pre-order them now at https://solargaps.com/. SolarGaps smart blinds automatically track the sun throughout the day, adjusting position to the optimal angles to generate solar electricity to power devices in your home, apartment or office. At about $1,000 a m², they’re not cheap… but discount the cost […]
Getting the most from your PV Panels
I wanted to run all lights, a power-hungry laptop (something I only discovered after I started), medium-sized fridge, wireless router, solar production & power consumption monitoring equipment, and battery charging for laptop, cellphone, camera and power drill. Could I do all this off one 150W PV panel (costing about R1700)? Be patient, this is an […]
iShacks — Power for the People
After being impressed by solar energy installations for poorer homes in the northern Drakensberg, I was delighted to discover that the biggest urban solar energy project for indigent families is nearby at Ekanini (population about 9,000) alongside Kayamandi in Stellenbosch. The Sustainability Institute’s iShack Project has already provided electricity to over 1,000 homes.
Solar Frontiers
Household electricity for US$1.50 a month, replacing kerosene for lighting at US$10.00 a month.
So what is smarter living all about?
In the USA, “Smart Homes” are all about convenience and consumption. In South Africa (and much of Europe) there is a far greater focus on sustainability and renewable energy… on being greener. CapeInfo set out to discover the feasibility — and economic realities — of going off the grid. Is saying goodbye to Eskom (SA’s […]