Solar heaters for Free State families

December 9, 2011 | Filed underPopular News | Posted by editor
Waiting for warmth … Nomvula Mathomela eagerly awaits the installation of a solar water heater in her home before the winter
Many poor families can now enjoy the comfort of a warm bath as government is well on its way to reach its target of rolling out one million solar water heaters by 2014.
A warm bath is a luxury many poor families have had to go without. But now, even for those who are not connected to the power grid, there is comfort in the form of a solar boiler – compliments of the
provincial government.
While heads of state from across the globe sat down to discuss climate change matters at COP17, hosted in Durban this week, thousands of Free State families were already enjoying warm water generated by a device that is contributing to shrinking the province’s carbon footprint.
According to Eskom, water heating contributes a lot to most of the average household’s electricity usage. The solar water heater rollout promises to go a long way to help households save on electricity costs.
The device is designed to absorb energy from the sun. It then heats up the water that in turn is stored in a tank similar to that of a normal geyser.
Officially launched in 2010, government’s solar water heater programme aims to provide services to families while at the same time mitigating climate change through the adoption of renewable energy. Thousands of low-pressure solar water heaters are being fitted to low-cost houses throughout the country every month. Each unit costs between
R5 000 and   R10 000.
The Free State was one of the first provinces to benefit from the programme. The mostly rural province is home to more than two million people most of which live in impoverished communities. Some of them are classified as indigent, who are too poor to afford basic services such as water, electricity, and housing. In such a case, government steps in and provides for their needs.
Mpho Molise, a mother of three from Botshabelo, was excited when government decided to build her a house in 2010. Her brand-new RDP house was fitted with a solar water heater which meant Modise no longer had to worry about heating her children’s bath water on a paraffin stove every morning.
“I lived in a shack all my life and I dreamt of a decent home for my children. That means a house that will be homely for my children. I cannot afford electricity because the municipality only provides ten units for free. But the solar heater complements it because I can have warm water all the time I need.”
Another Botshabelo resident, Relebogile Moeketsi, is equally excited about her water heater.
“My life was made easier because it was a hassle to prepare for school every day. I live with my grandmother and I have to take her to a doctor once a month. Bathing her was a struggle because I had to heat enough water for both of us. Sometime we do not have paraffin and I have to collect wood to warm the water. It was difficult during winter.
“But now even if we do not have enough paraffin to cook, we can have a bath with warm water. I wish we were able to even use it for cooking. That would
be good.”
Harnessing solar energy … Many houses are being fitted with solar water heaters in order to bring communities the joy of a warm bath
For solar water heaters to be effective, they have to be installed correctly.
The Eskom Demand Side Management Programme advises that the collector should face true north or slightly to the west to take advantage of higher radiance in the afternoon. A deviation of 45 degrees Celsius east or west is acceptable, but deviation greater than this will require larger collectors to compensate for
solar loss.
According to research, South Africa’s solar radiation reaches up to 6.5 kWh. This is one of the highest levels in the world. By comparison, parts of Europe only receive about 2.6 kWh. This means solar energy is an abundant source of renewable energy in South Africa.
Impoverished communities in the Free State have benefitted from a Memorandum of Agreement signed by the provincial government with the Solar Academy of Sub-Sahara Africa to install 250 000 low pressure solar water heaters in recent years.
These instalments were done at no cost to municipalities or households. To date, 5 738 units have been installed in Mangaung, 6 000 in Moqhaka, 254 in Ngwathe, and 250 in Masilonyana.
In some areas where the rollout has yet to commence, daily life remains a struggle.
For households in the deep rural Free State, preparing a meal means cutting down a tree, collecting manure, or burning a bucket of coal every day.
Nomvula Mathomela is one of the people who do not have access to electricity. She uses a paraffin stove to cook and warm up bath water for her family.
“It is not easy to use paraffin but it is the only means through which my family can eat and wash. A solar heater, like electricity, is a luxury for us. The smell and smoke coming out of this paraffin stove is killing us. Paraffin is also expensive.”
Research from the Centre for Environmental Management at the University of the Free State has shown an increase in temperatures that has resulted in a less severe frost season over the province. The researchers have predicted an increase in temperatures of 2 to 3 degree Celsius in the country by 2050.
The province is amongst the areas that will be hit hard by climate change as projections have shown that the western half of the country will be drier and hotter.
South Africa has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent by the year 2020 and further tighten this target by reducing emissions by 42 percent by the year 2025, provided technology and finance
are made available.

Quick facts about solar water heaters
-They use free heat from the sun to warm domestic hot water.

-They can save homeowners between 50 and 80 percent on their water heating bills.

-The top three global regions using solar water heating are China, the European Union, and the United States.

-Solar hot water is a green, renewable heating system and can reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

-Typical carbon savings are around 230kg CO2/year when replacing gas and 510kg CO2/year when replacing electric immersion heating.
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