Alternatiewe Energie

Toe Paul Wessels die plaas Krapfontein in 1997 gekoop het, is elektrisiteit aan die woonhuis deur ‘n Lister-dieseenjin en opwekker voorsien. Dieselfde opwekker het ‘n 36 Volt batterybank gelaai, wat dan, wanneer die enjin nie geloop het nie, 32 Volt gloeilampe in die huis voorsien het. Met die besluit om voltyds op Krapfontein te gaan woon, het die behoefte aan ‘n volhoubare elektrisiteitstelsel na vore getree. Die Lister en opwekker sou eenvoudig nie voldoende kon wees om aan al die behoeftes van ‘n moderne huishouding te voorsien nie en alternatiewe is oorweeg…

Weens die afstand vanaf die naaste ESKOM kragpunt en die koste om elektrisiteit vanaf hierdie punt aan te lê, asook die onooglikheid van oorhoofse elektrisiteitskabels oor die ongeskonde natuur van Krapfontein, is besluit om die moontlikheid van ‘n onafhanklike elektrisiteitstelsel te ondersoek. Sonkrag is as logiese alternatief gesien, veral gesien in die lig dat die plaas nagenoeg 276 sonskyndae per jaar geniet. ‘n Sonkragstelsel met ‘n batterybank is toe geïnstalleer en geleidelik uitgebrei totdat dit aan die daaglikse behoefte kon voorsien. Hiervoor is uiteindelik 3.5KW sonpanele aan ‘n 2000AU batterybank gekoppel. Die feit dat die wind waai wanneer die son nie skyn nie (bewolkte dae en snags), het die gedagte aan ‘n windlaaier laat ontstaan. Bloemfontein is egter noord van ‘n denkbeeldige lyn wat vanaf Windhoek in Namibia na Durban in Kwa-Zulu Natal  loop, geleë. Hiervolgens is die heersende winde in die gebied nie voldoende om windkrag ‘n ekonomiese en praktiese moontlikheid te maak nie. Desnieteenstaande is besluit om tog ‘n windlaaier aan te skaf; ‘n 3.2KW Whisper windlaaier is aangekoop en geïnstalleer. ‘n 1 KW Whisper windlaaier is later bygevoeg ten einde ligter winde optimaal te benut. Hierdie stap het gou ‘n groot sukses geblyk te wees, deurdat die opwekking van elektrisiteit vir Krapfontein daardeur volkome volhoubaar gemaak is. Die Lister met kragopwekker is steeds aan die stroombaan gekoppel maar uitsluitlik as rugsteun; sedert Augustus 2006 is dit slegs by enkele geleenthede aangeskakel ten einde die sisteem te toets en funksionerend te hou. Die hele opstal, met alle nodige huishoudelike toestelle, insluitend vyf vrieskaste en  twee yskaste, ‘n dompelpomp en ‘n sentrifugale pomp vir die tuinbesproeiing asook die skuur met kraggereedskap vir alledaagse gebruik, insuitend ‘n sweismasjien word tans van die stelsel gebruik. Die nuutste toevoging tot die Alternatiewe energiestelsel is ‘n son-waterverwarmer vir die huis, wat die gebruik van gas vir warm water vir die huishouding met ongeveer 95% verminder het.

Son & Windkragstelsels – Nelson Adams: nelsonadams@telkomsa.net

Alternative Energy

When Paul Wessels bought the farm Krapfontein in 1997, the house was supplied with electricity generated by a Lister Diesel engin and a 220 Volt generator which also charged a 36 Volt battery bank for supplying electricity to the 32 Volt lighting system. On deciding to move to Krapfontein on a permanent basis, the need for a sustainable electricity supply became a reality. The Lister and batteries would just not be adequate and an alternative electricity system was considered. Because of the distance from the nearest ESKOM power line as well as the cost of erecting an overhead powerline and the unsightyness of such a power line running through the unspoilt natural beauty of Krapfontein, made the consideration of an alternative energy source a reality. Solar electricity was considered to be the most logical option, especially when considering the fact that Krapfontein enjoys an average of 276 sunshine days per year. Solar panels, connected to a battery bank were installed and this system was gradually expanded till an array of 3.5 KW solar panels and a 2000 Ah battery bank was established. Paul realised that when the sun was not shining, the wind was mostly blowing (overcast days and at night) and this lead to the consideration of a wind charger as well. Bloemfontein however, lies to the north east of the imaginary line drawn from Windhoek in the North West and Durban in the South East, which indicates that it does not experience enough wind to make windpower a worthwhile proposition. Nonthesess, a 3.2KW Whisper wind charger was bought and erected on Krapfontein. This proved to be a great success because it contributed in making Krapfontein’s alternative electricity generation sustainable. The Lister is still connected to the power circuit but solely as a backup and since 2006 it was started only once in a while to make sure that the back-up system is fully operational for whenever it may be necessary. The homestead with all the necessary household electrical appliances, including two fridges and five freezers, a submirsible pump as well as a centrifugal pump for irrigating the garden and also all the necessary electrical appliances and tools in the workshop, including a whelding mashine, is driven from the system. The latest addition to the Alternative electrical system is a solar geyser for the house. This has lead to a decrease of about 95% in the usage of gas for warming water for househould use.

Solar & Windpower installations – Nelson Adams: nelsonadams@telkomsa.net