Thinking of going solar? Exactly how much will that venture cost you? Damien Lyn of Alternative Power Solutions in Kingston notes that for a monthly consumption of 650 KWH (average figure for households with small families), it would cost between approximately $1.8 million and $2.4 million to be totally off the grid with the inclusion of a backup generator.

Lyn states that the cost might be less if the Government decides to do something about it, but as at the time of writing, there has been no move to actually reduce the cost of alternative energy other than what has already been down, in the removal of certain duties, including GCT.

The fact that there are low interest loans now available from the National Housing Trust (NHT) shows some positive move in the right direction, Lyn states.

The NHT loan is $1.2 million per householder for the installation of solar panels.

As previously noted, household energy consumption and the attendant costs will vary according to usage. This is reflected in how much of that is lighting, the intensity of usage, length of usage, what kinds of bulbs are being used, etc.

do an audit

An audit can help you to determine your needs and pattern of usage. It will also indicate what size our battery bank should be in the case of a power outage.

Most Alternative Power systems are now battery-based, replacing the generator with its expensive oil demands. Solar panels are used to charge these batteries.

Solar panels are photovoltaic (PV) modules which produce electrons via sunlight which shines on them and generates electrons, which in turn provide electrical power. Each panel is limited by the wattage it provides.

The average a photovoltaic (solar panels) system installed in Jamaica is approximately 1.2 kilowatt, which provides 6.92 kilowatts during a period of six to eight hours.

Such a system is enough to run a small refrigerator, house lights and bedroom ceiling fans.

Basically, the run-time of equipment depends on the battery storage and weather conditions, which cause a day-to-day variance.

cheaper alternative

If you cannot afford a full transition, you can use solar panels as backup to the JPS-provided power system in your homes.

Most people do not have the money for a full system. To install 1.2 kilowatt system will cost approximately $1 million with battery backup, depending on the equipment chosen for the installation.

The best batteries provide 10 to 12 years of life and cost US$490. Cheaper batteries which last three to four years cost around US$160.

Even more expensive to install are hybrid systems which feature photovoltaic cells and a diesel generator. The 2004 cost for installing this for one local commercial venture was US$40,000.

In the hybrid system, once the battery panels go below a certain voltage, the signal is given from the inverters to start the generator, which will, in turn, provide power for the battery bank. On reaching the required voltage, it will then switch over and shut down the generator. This limits the run-time on the diesel generator.