Coming soon: solar water heating for every house

If you own a building or are planning to construct one, then you had better pay attention to Mr Kaburu Mwirichia, the director-general of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

Mr Mwirichia says his organisation has been exploring ways of helping Kenyans spend less on power bills, and the only solution it sees on the horizon is solar power.

“Major power consumers will soon be required to use solar for water heating in their premises,” Mr Mwirichia said recently, noting that the regulator has drafted a solar water heating policy (solar PV regulations) for approval by the Energy Ministry.

He said most of the regulations have been aligned to the yet-to-be-endorsed revised building code and would require home builders to instal systems for water heating.

“The building code already includes installation of solar energy,” he was quoted as saying. “The commission wants to encourage use of solar energy to heat water in commercial establishments and factories and release available electricity from the national grid for industrial production.”

Growing power bills

This suggestion will put a smile on the faces of many electricity consumers as the ever-increasing cost of electricity has seen many Kenyan households struggle to pay power bills that keep growing every month.

Power problems have worsened due to the fact that electricity generation, which is mainly carried out from hydro sources, has become unreliable due to unpredictable weather patterns, leading to power outages.

Add this to the escalating oil prices and households and other power consumers are in a difficult situation.

“Solving this problem requires a seamless alternative that makes power supply for households less dependent on the electricity grid,” says Mr Joseph Muthokah, solar water heating and projects manager at Chloride Exide Kenya Ltd.

Mr Muthokah says the uptake of solar panels or solar water heating systems in the country is on the rise due to high power bills.

Happily, developers and home owners seem to have realised that solar energy is where the future lies and are not sitting back and waiting for the regulations to come into effect later this year.

The number of roof-tops spotting solar panels for water heating in middle-upper and upper market neighbourhoods in major towns like Nairobi is on the rise.

It is becoming increasingly normal to see the roof-tops of houses, from maisonettes and bungalows to apartments and flats, mounted with at least one or two solar panels.

New housing developments in such estates are setting the pace.

For example, Chloride Exide, which supplies battery, solar, and power back-up systems, recently helped instal 32 solar water heating units at a new apartment, which is under construction on Ole Dume Road in Nairobi’s Kilimani area.

“Compared to China where solar heating systems are common, Kenya experiences more sunny months and yet it makes little use of the abundant sunshine to provide power for lighting or heating water and thus reduce reliance on expensive energy,” said Yu Guiqiang, the site manager of the new apartment being developed.

According to Mr Muthokah, Chloride Exide also installed 40 solar heating water systems in a new housing development (already completed) comprising 20 maisonettes in Runda recently.

They have installed another 32 solar panels in another housing development coming up in Athi River.

“Since 2008, the demand for solar panels has been growing at 25 per cent per annum,” says Mr Muthokah, attributing the trend to growth in Kenya’s real estate market, awareness of the need to instal solar panels, and the formulation the new government policy that requires home builders to instal water heating systems.

From a developer’s or a home owner’s perspective, installing a solar energy system is no longer just about environmental consciousness; it is also a financially intelligent investment.

When your home is solar powered, experts say, the benefits are immediate and long-lasting.

The obvious benefit of installing a solar energy system is the saving you get from lowering or eliminating your electricity bills.

It is estimated that households can save up to 60 per cent on power bills compared to relying solely on electricity when it comes to water heating.

Others estimate that using a solar system can decrease your energy cost by 70 to 100 per cent.

According to Mr Muthokah, the rising demand for water heating solar systems at a time when the viability of electricity as power source is dwindling stems from the fact that heating water takes up the bulk of a household’s energy consumption.

“In a standard residential power requirement, about 60 per cent of consumed energy goes into heating water, hence the need to turn to renewable energy which is economical,” he says.

To demonstrate his point, he gives the example of a household in Nairobi’s Karen estate that used to spend about Sh45,000 a month on heating water alone using electricity.

When he installed a water heating solar system in 2009, the monthly power bill (for heating water) went down to Sh18,000.

Cost concerns

Normally, the biggest concern for most developers and home owners is the upfront, out-of-pocket cost of the solar energy system.

Mr Muthokah says that the cost of a solar water heating system is influenced by the temperature and volume of water to be heated — the higher the temperature needed, the more the number of (panel) collectors required.

The price will thus be higher. A standard system of 120 litres — complete with accessories and monitoring structures — for instance, would cost between Sh90,000 and Sh105,000.

Most big residential housing projects, according to Mr Muthokah, require between Sh2.5 million and Sh5 million to satisfactorily instal a water heating solar system, with each house requiring Sh150,000 to Sh200,000 for successful installation.

These figures may seem big to many, but the good news is that once installed, a solar panel can last for about 20 years without the need to replace any part except, in some cases, the cylinder. The piping system can go on for many years.

However, a solar panel’s lifespan largely depends on the quality of water to be heated. Hard and alkaline water easily wears it out. Environmental conditions also have a bearing on the lifespan of a solar panel.

The key thing therefore, is to be armed with thoroughly researched information about one’s power needs.

With this information, there is no need to fear the outlay costs as the consumer will be able to make an educated, informed decision in full appreciation of the long-term economic benefits of using solar.

Currently, solar panels available in the market range from 10 watts to 170 watts.

Installing a 300-litre unit takes two days and is best done when a building is at an advanced stage of construction.