Eskom is here to stay, warts an all. In fact, we are witnessing the slow demise of a monster. Bit by bit this power giant is crumbling, hogging the power supply monopoly like a miser holding on to the last breath.
Reports state that they have managed to save billions, but their ageing coal plants are suffering, creating pollution issues and Koeberg has gone offline. Setting the stage for an escalation of load-shedding and power outages as the demand exceeds the supply.
Koeberg update:
Frequent delays in returning [Koeberg] units from maintenance are a serious cause of concern.
Fanele Mondi, CEO of the Energy Intensive Users Group
Quote source: businesslive.co.za
Time to take matters into your own hands and start powering your home or business grid.
The prepper approach to going off-grid
You can set your goal for going off-grid and then work towards getting all your ducks in a row until you have everything in place to cut Eskom off.
Like a prepper, you have a goal (Going Off-Grid) and a certainty that it is going to happen soon enough for you to be glad you were ready in time (The Event).
Time to make your energy inefficient home a lean, mean power saving machine.
Look at your appliances.
A gas stove and hob are one less burden on your power grid. Unplug the kettle and get a stovetop version or convert to using induction plates.
Fridges and freezers can be converted to gas-powered.
Or you can upgrade to energy-efficient A+++ appliances. The same applies to washing machines and dishwashers.
12V TV's & decoders and radios are available. Consider that even when on standby a normal TV and decoder use about 30W and 150W when active.
Convert to LED lighting and independent solar-powered lighting for outside.
What else do you need?
Water on tap and a veggie garden.
The water supply can be affected during load-shedding or a power outage. Especially if the power is off for an extended period. Expect the taps to run dry as the load-shedding affects the municipal water pumps.
Not just cutting the power so they can't pump water, but the electronics can't handle the power surges load-shedding causes.
Sooner rather than later the pumps will fail. Spare parts are an issue as are skilled technicians to get the pumps back online.
In some cases, the water pumps have packed it in altogether lying broken waiting for a replacement to be sourced and shipped.
So the prepper way is to get a rainwater harvesting system and connect it to an irrigation system to water your veggie garden. Recycling water is also a great idea, in this water-scarce future using freshwater for flushing loos is the crime of the century.
The all-in going off-grid approach
Instead of 'getting ready' just do it. Do some sums to work out how much power you need to run your home or business. Look to your roof to calculate how large a system you are able to install. Compare the two numbers and hopefully, you can generate enough power to supply your needs. The next step is to act and get the system installed. You can then work to make your home more energy-efficient as you go, or not as the case may be.
By the way, we can help you with the sums and the installation, just get in touch for a quote.
