Off Grid Technologies – who specialize in Alternative Energy Systems, Power Backup systems and Energy Efficiency solutions, has recently completed the supply and installation of a 35 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) solar energy system on the roof of ETLIN International Trading’s new Head Office in Groenkloof, Pretoria.
The 35 kilowatt PV (Suntech) system combined with 60KW of 3-Phase SMA Inverters (Germany) and four 1050Ahr 48V FNB Battery banks provide power with backup to two office blocks. Everything in the buildings excluding the Central Air Conditioners is powered by the Solar Power.
Evacuated Tube Solar Geysers,Energy Efficient LED Lights and motion sensors was used in the building. Since the start of the project, Off Grid Technologies was involve with full power analysis of the buildings and based on this, designed the system accordingly.
Etlin’s investment in this particular PV system will result in approximately 1800 fewer tons of carbon being emitted into the earth’s atmosphere over the next 20 or so years. Financially-speaking, the system – which has been designed to last for at least 25 years – will pay for itself in less than 8 years.
Due to energy saving challenges more businesses are exploring investing in energy saving systems with ESKOM’s new Standard Offer Funding and Standard Product Funding and Government is making it worthwhile by giving taxpayers Income Tax deductions for achieving energy savings and.
There are income tax advantages for businesses that make use of energy saving systems for trade purposes, but not for private individuals. If a taxpayer uses a tangible energy savings device in its trade, in general the taxpayer may write off the cost of the system, including direct costs of installation, as a wear and tear allowance over a time period. Recently the South African Revenue Service (SARS) indicated that the write-off period attributable to ‘solar energy units’ is five years. Where the taxpayer uses the device in its trade to generate electricity from wind, sunlight, gravitational water forces (up to 30 megawatts) or biomass, a special accelerated allowance is claimable instead of the wear and tear allowance. In this case the write off is 50% of the cost of the system, including the direct costs of installation, in the first year in which the system is brought into use, 30% in the second year and 20% in the third year.
