The Solar Zone - Maun, Botswana

We design and install off-grid solar systems to power camps and lodges in remote areas of Botswana.

Inverters are an integral part of a backup system. They convert the DC power that is stored in your battery bank (12V, 24V or 48V) to 240V AC. Some models are an inverter, whereas others are an inverter and a battery charger. Inverters can be used on 12V, 24V or 48V systems and range from small 180W inverters to powerful inverter/chargers with an 8000W AC output and 120A charging output. Various models of Victron and SMA inverters are available.

LED’s and compact fluorescent lamps (CFL’s) are becoming obvious choices to replace halogen and incandescent bulbs as they are considerably more energy efficient. For example, a 5W LED bulb would produce the same amount of light as a 40W incandescent bulb using 12% of the power. They have a much longer lifespan than incandescent bulbs (up to 8 times for CFL’s and 40 times for LED’s). In both LED’s and CFL’s there are options of warm white (slightly yellow) or cool white (blue white).

We are distributors of the BioRock sewage treatment system which uses a unique chimney system to draw air though the plant, so no electricity is required. It produces effluent which exceeds the minimum international standard requirements. The BioRock is available in three models for various sized applications (from homes to hotels and lodges) and can also be fitted to existing systems to further treat the effluent to ensure the environment is not being harmed.

The BiogasPro is a range of highly efficient prefabricated biogas digesters designed specifically to meet the needs of households, rural settlements and farms as a waste management system as well as producing cooking gas. It is essentially underground tank that produces biogas and liquid fertilizer by digesting the organic materials that are fed into the system.

This biogas produced is then used as a fuel for cooking, lighting or generating electricity. A family, using only their food waste to feed the digester, can replace between 25 – 50% of their cooking fuel.

The liquid fertilizer produced can either be a) fed into a septic tank (or sewer), b) fed into an aerobic system (like a reedbed) to further treat the water or c) can be used for gardens and fields.

The Energie thermodynamic geyser works with a heat exchange panel (thermodynamic panel) which heats a refrigerant. Because the refrigerant enters the panel at -20°C, the surrounding atmospheric temperature is enough to transfer energy to the refrigerant. This then returns to the geyser where it releases the energy to the water through a heat exchanger. There is a compressor which draws only 390W, compared to a conventional electric geyser which would draw between 2000W and 3000W. They are available in a 200l or 300l capacity.

The evacuated tube geysers (both low- and high-pressure) heat water directly from solar radiation and use no electricity. In low-pressure geysers, the main heating tank and glass tubes contains water which is fed in when the geyser is installed and is never drawn. This water remains in the tank and the glass tubes and heats up every day. The main water feed travels through a long thin, coil within the heating tank, slowly heating up to above 75°C as it travels over the 30m of piping inside the geyser. A low-wattage pump is required to boost water pressure when needed. In high-pressure geysers, the main tank contains the water which is drawn. The glass tubes contain metal elements which heat up as the incoming solar radiation heats the tubes. These elements then heat the water in the main tank, which is drawn out directly into the hot water line.

A backup generator is vital for off-grid systems to ensure that the system continues to function in case of the batteries running low or some system failure. Generators are useful in grid-tied systems to provide the power in case of a grid failure. We can assist in sizing a backup generator for any application. Three main types of generator housings are available.

Super silent
The generator is enclosed in a super silent, sound-proofed housing that ensures virtually silent operation, ideally suited to the lodge and tourism industries. Noise attenuation is achieved through the use of sound barriers, sound absorbers, and vibration dampers.

Sound attenuated
In instances where reducing the noise from the generator is not a priority, a specially-designed sound-proofed housing provides a level of noise reduction.

Weatherproof
The generator is enclosed in weather-proof housing to protect against the elements, which is important to reduce maintenance and service costs.