I have noticed a couple of new residential complexes around where I live have panels on the roof. I thought, oh, that's forward thinking. In the next suburb (which has a municipal gas line) they advertise new units as having gas cooking, pre-installed fiber, solar, battery backup for load shedding blah blah. So I thought similar thoughts.

But my heatpump popped on Wednesday afternoon. I called Kwikot yesterday because well, what can you lose. Guy says "we'll be there tomorrow morning". They've just been.

I mentioned one of those complexes to him. He says "oh. We did that one. They have heatpumps, insulated geysers, grid-tie solar". I said "that's forward thinking". He says "no. By laws."

He says that all new complexes since a certain (fairly recent) date are given a formula they must apply which should give them 50:50 mix of solar and grid power over a year. Heat pumps are not mandated, but are an input into this formula.

So some alarming signs of forward thinking by the City.

Edited December 15, 20241 yr by Bobster.

10 hours ago, Bobster. said:

He says that all new complexes since a certain (fairly recent date) are given a formula they must apply which should give them 50:50 mix of solar and grid power over a year. Heat pumps are not mandated, but are an input into this formula.

So some alarming signs of forward thinking by the City.

Not sure why alarming. The 50/50 rules is just a follow of what has been the case for years in other provinces/metros. Heat pumps are a vital part due to the high % heating of water contributes as you know having had a heat pump for many years. 

12 hours ago, Scorp007 said:

Not sure why alarming. The 50/50 rules is just a follow of what has been the case for years in other provinces/metros. Heat pumps are a vital part due to the high % heating of water contributes as you know having had a heat pump for many years. 

It's sarcasm. I'm English by birth, and I still have that streak in me. 

On 2024/12/13 at 10:18 AM, Bobster. said:

They have heatpumps, insulated geysers, grid-tie solar"

I wonder if more grid-tie solar wouldn't be cheaper than a heat pump.

Also, if such a complex is in Johannesburg, would the developer pay R30k for the grid-tie application for every unit?

5 hours ago, frivan said:

Also, if such a complex is in Johannesburg, would the developer pay R30k for the grid-tie application for every unit?

I've seen this figure of 30K before. My system is registered with COJ and it didn't cost me close to 30k, and I didn't pay the City anything. It is possible that an amount was paid on my behalf, but that wasn't reflected in the invoicing. 

Anyway, the developers will not build if they can't make a profit. 

5 hours ago, frivan said:

I wonder if more grid-tie solar wouldn't be cheaper than a heat pump.

I can't say, but it seems likely. Though having heat pumps would mean less draw on the grid in the first place. 

17 hours ago, frivan said:

I wonder if more grid-tie solar wouldn't be cheaper than a heat pump.

As a domestic heat pump just for hot water would come out below R25000 and assuming heating water consumes 40% of the total the heat pump should use far less than 20% of the bill. I have not seen what weight is applied for each type of tech.