In with the Renewables

from International Glamping Business | July 2021

Going Beyond Glamping

Whether you are an off-grid operation or wish to save money on your energy bills, there are many solutions on the market that can make life easier and greener. Annie Hilton rounds up some of the innovative products on the market ideal for glamping sites.

SOLARISKIT

solariskit.com

What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? SolarisKit supplies a unique, flat-packable solar hot water collector based on an attractive prismatic shape. Our solar collector can convert sunlight directly into hot water to reduce the consumption of electricity and gas for the glamping sector.

What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? Our solar collectors can save glamping site owners money through energy savings, while also reducing their carbon footprint. Heating water is energy intensive and expensive, especially if using LPG gas in off-grid applications. Our visually attractive and easy to transport solar collectors provide a new way to turn sunlight into energy savings. We are currently developing a complete solar hot water system which does not require a pump and therefore no electricity. It is targeted at off-grid applications in the developing and emerging regions like Africa and Asia. SolarisKit is on a mission to provide affordable, clean energy everyone to everyone.

How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? We offer a two-year warranty on our solar collector, but the collectors will last for years. The collectors have been tested to stringent European standards and are manufactured in the UK. SolarisKit is also an ISO 9001 quality endorsed company.

How quick/easy are they to install? We like to call ourselves the IKEA solution to solar hot water, so we have worked hard to make sure our solar collector is as easy as possible to install. Our collector can now be assembled in around 20 minutes without requiring a single tool. We have created simple to follow instructions and an accompanying step-by-step video to make it easy to assemble your solar collector. The collectors are compatible and safe to use with plastic ‘push-fit’ style piping (e.g. John Guest Speedfit) making it also quick and easy to install the necessary piping to the hot water storage tank.

How much do they cost to run? Once installed, our solar collectors cost very little to run. A small pump (~60W) is typically installed to pump the water through our solar collector for storage in the hot water tank. When there isn’t enough sunshine to heat the water completely using our solar collectors, existing heating methods can still be used making sure your visitors always have hot water. By installing a solar hot water system, glamping site owners can save a lot in energy costs, while also looking after the environment. If you are interested to find out more, please contact the SolarisKit team!

DHYBRID

dhybrid.de/en/

What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? DHYBRID offers turnkey solutions for the energy supply of resorts and lodges that want to reduce their electricity costs, increase independency from generators or the grid and become more sustainable.

What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? Our microgrids not only reduce CO2 emissions and improve the efficiency and quality of the power supply, they are also quiet because they essentially use solar energy. This is a particularly good fit for destinations that focus on the experience of nature and high standards. The microgrids can be connected to the grid or operated completely independent of a grid, for example on islands. On request, we can monitor the systems online.

How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? The systems are designed for long term utilisation. The solarmodules come with a 25-year performance warranty. The DHYBRID Energy Management System (DHYBRID UPP) and Battery Energy Storage System are offered with long term performance warranty with up to 10 years. We have already installed over 70 microgrids worldwide, all systems are in operation and reliably supplying energy.

How quick/ easy are they to install? The components such as containerised storage systems come fully installed and tested to the site. Upon arrival on site our local team can commission the system. Installation and commissioning range between 1-2 weeks depending on project size and complexity. Many tasks can be monitored and controlled online from our headquarters. How much do they cost to run? The exact costs depend on the energy demand and the operator’s requirements. In general, however, we can reduce the cost per kilowatt hour by 30 to 80 percent compared to power supply with conventional diesel generators.

What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? We provide off-grid power solutions when getting mains power to your property or glamping site is impractical or unnecessary. Glamping guests may want to turn off all their devices and get right back to nature, some may want to retain as many creature comforts as possible, but most will reside somewhere in the middle. Everyone needs light and energy it’s just a question of how much.

The solutions we offer can be tailor made to whatever level of power is right for your site. Whether you want to provide your guests with basic lighting and phone charging facilities to an all singing and dancing luxury glamping pod with fridges, hair dryer and TVs, we can help!

We talk you though the appliances and services you want to offer your guest and from this information we can work out how much power you will need and specify the right system for you.

This could be one of our range of easy to use portable Powerpacks or a custom solution that we can tailor make for your site. All our systems can incorporate solar panels and based on the location of your site, the size of your system, whether your site is run just in the summer months or year-round and the appliances being used - we can help you utilise the panels in the best way.

We don’t expect our customers to know all there is to know about off grid power, that’s our job! We have over 20 years’ experience providing off grid power solutions all over the world and we use this knowledge to take the headache of power off your shoulders and create a system that will work for you

What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? There are many benefits from having an off-grid power system but the overriding one for sites always seems to be cost. It can cost an extortionate amount to get mains power out to glamping sites and as time goes on, sites are becoming more remote and unique, proving extra challenges in adding mains power.

A custom system from us can not only save you from the logistics of adding mains power it also can also save you an awful lot of money without compromising the experience you want to offer your guests.

How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? We can work with each of our clients to make a system that will work for them. For our customers with lower power needs, a popular option currently is to have a powerpack that will run everything in their accommodation for a three-day stay (with added extras for those powerhungry guests!) and then either recharge the powerpack from mains between guests or swap it out for a second fully recharged unit. We also have many popular sites that have great solar capability and our powerpacks are fully recharged by solar only- we can help you decide if this is a viable option for your site.

If you wanted a system that runs with no intervention at all- we can help specify each element of that system and supply it all to you. The warranty with all our products is a minimum of 1 year from purchase.

How quick/easy are they to install? To install the powerpacks, it’s as simple as carrying it to your accommodation and plugging in what you want to run! We have had customers who have built the powerpacks into furniture or hidden them in cupboards and we love this idea! It keeps the system separate from the aesthetic of your accommodation and stops your guest having direct access to them.

Custom systems for sites that require more power than an all in one powerpack will take more work to install but this is all dependant on the size and complexity of the system you choose.

Our best advice is to have a chat with us about power in the early stages of your site planning so if you need to make room for more panels than expected on your roof or find a space for your inverter/charger you have all the information at the start rather than trying to retrofit a system. We are always here to help advise with installation.

PORTABLE POWER TECHNOLOGY

portablepowertech.com

How much do they cost to run? If you have a fully solar based off grid system, then the only cost to run will be the upfront costs.

If you have a portable powerpack that you are charging by mains, this will cost you pennies!

ENERGY SOLUTIONS

energy-solutions.co.uk

What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? Easygrid 5000 Easygrid 10000 Easygrid 15000

What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? The Easygrid solution is designed specifically for off-grid providing a solution to areas with no grid connection. It also supports renewable inputs from solar and wind, further reducing the use of diesel generators. The system is designed to give an on-grid experience. How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? The system comes with a 5 year warranty on the power electronics and 2 years warranty on the batteries.

How quick/easy are they to install? Easygrids are delivered ready to go, simple to install as they are specifically designed to be plug and play with minimal expertise required.

How much do they cost to run? This is difficult without knowing the exact installation location and load requirements. In answer to this question given the only other option would be to run a Generator 24/7 consuming diesel and producing emissions. The Easygrid solution provide power from store energy harvested from solar panels and wind turbines, if the batteries deplete and there is no renewable energy then it will autostart the generator to supply and recharge the batteries.

It is not uncommon during the summer months for the generator not to run for several days, in the winter months as the renewable output reduces then this increases. Most of our installations would reduce the generator run time by as much as 75% resulting in reduce Diesel, servicing cost against a normal 24/7 runtime.

LEOCH BATTERY

leoch.com

What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? Leoch is a global battery manufacturer and the biggest lead-acid battery exporter in China offering a variety of batteries for usage at the glamping sector. We manufacture a wide range of deep cycle and dual-purpose lead-acid batteries based on different technologies such as maintenancefree AGM, Gel, Hybrid Gel, Dual Purpose AGM, lead carbon and now also lithium-ion batteries.

What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? All these technologies offered are specially designed and manufactured with glamping needs in mind, offering a wide variety of benefits for hybrid or off-grid usage such as a wide range of cycles which in cases exceeds 3000 cycles at 60% DoD* (Depth of Discharge), high PSoC (Partial State of Charge) resilience, wide operational temperature range and incredible performance. *Data are model dependent

How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? We offer a wide range of options for our customers with service life ranging from 3 up to more than 10 years*, depending on the usage profile and model choice. All Leoch batteries are covered by standard 1 year warranty covering a wide range of needs to meet the budget and profile of each individual user. *Data are model dependent

How quick/easy are they to install? Leoch designs all batteries to make them as user friendly as possible. It is always suggested for a professional and authorized technician to install the batteries but even basic DIY users can easily use Leoch batteries, as the case is with any Lead-acid or lithium battery. Leoch Battery UK can support the users in any inquiry they might have for any newly purchased Leoch battery.

How much do they cost to run? Our batteries offer excellent value for money. Multiple ranges achieve different TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) values but comparing with the competition Leoch stands on the top of the value charts. Offering maintenance free batteries Leoch batteries require the initial Capex (capital expenditure) for purchasing and installing them and after that it is easy as 1-2-3 go.

What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? As experts in the solar power to off-grid buildings and outdoor spaces, our Hubi range of lighting and power kits offers a range of options for the glamping sector. For individual tents, pods and shepherd huts, Hubi Retro is plug and play kit that comes complete with vintage style filament bulbs to deliver a bright, warm light. There’s a choice of ceiling lights, table and floor lamps to provide the lighting solution to suit your glamping requirements.

For bigger structures, or for more power to run other equipment such as a camping fridge, there is the Hubi Power Station range.

What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? In being totally self-sufficient of mains electricity, the Hubi range gives your guests the essentials, such as lighting after dark, with the benefit of being deep into the countryside and using only renewable solar power.

SOLAR TECHNOLOGY

solartechnology.co.uk

How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? Hubi kits are built to last and come with a two year warranty. The Solar Power Stations have a five-year warranty.

How quick/easy are they to install? Hubi Retro kits are plug and play and you can be up and running in under an hour. You don’t need any special electrical installation skills or equipment. The Solar Power Stations are very similar. We purposely build them that way so you can just connect and go!

How much do they cost to run? Once purchased, the Hubi range costs nothing to run.