The Farmyard Offices, Mountain Honey Estate, 74 Sterkfontein avenue, Doornkloof, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
enquiries@oneenergy.co.za
0861 4328 464 or 0861 HEATING
The Farmyard Offices, Mountain Honey Estate, 74 Sterkfontein avenue, Doornkloof, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa enquiries@oneenergy.co.za 0861 4328 464 or 0861 HEATING
The regulation XA2 provides the overall performance requirements for hot water services in buildings.
The Regulations set out that a minimum of 50% by volume of the annual average hot water heating requirement is to be provided by means other than electric resistance heating including, but not limited to;
• Solar
• Heat Pumps with appropriate storage capacity
• Heat recovery from other systems or processes
• Geothermal heat
• Renewable combustible fuel (e.g. landfill gas, certain categories of wood)
Diesel or gas firing boilers are therefore not excluded from the possible solutions.
The Regulation XA2 does not invoke any clause of SANS10400XA
Solar thermal in the commercial sector is in its infancy and offers huge opportunities for businesses to save money and reduce carbon emissions. As the price of solar thermal technology falls, much in the same way as in solar electric through solar photovoltaic technology, and the price of electricity continues to rise, the benefits of going solar will become increasingly attractive.
Already large scale solar thermal, which for convenience one can describe as 5 000 litres of hot water and above, is providing businesses with an investment where capital invested can be paid off in as little as 5 years or less. With a lifespan of 25 years and more, and potential savings for 60 years subject to maintenance, solar thermal competes with the expected lifespan of a power station.
In South Africa SOLTRAIN has been promoting awareness and the benefits of going solar thermal for commercial applications for a few years. Technical expertise and knowledge for understanding the complexities and engineering requirements of large scale solar thermal in South Africa has and continues to be supported by the Austrians and Germans, both leaders in the field of renewable energy. New initiatives in South Africa in conjunction with SOLTRAIN and SESSA are leading to greater awareness, education and training for companies, finance directors, engineers, quantity surveyors, architects and energy consultants.