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PE Express Newspaper
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WEDNESDAY June 26, 2013 |0 041 503 6111 | Email express@media24.com | peexpress.mobi | www.peexpress.co.za
PE couple no longer needs Eskom TINNEKE GOEDHALS
E done.
skom is probably the only company that encourages and motivates consumers not to make use of its service and that is exactly what Jacques and Wendy Engelbrecht from Walmer have
They have installed a complete off-grid system and only have Eskom power as back-up, in case they encounter endless dark and rainy days. “Owning our own energy-saving company, we’re passionate about doing our bit for the environment. It’s a feel-good thing. We’ve always recycled; we have a total of 10 water tanks on our property and saving electricity
Stacey is Miss Tinkerbell . . .
in any form or factor has become part of our everyday life. Like everyone else, we also grew frustrated with our ever-increasing electricity bill, so going off the grid was always the ultimate goal for us,” said Wendy Engelbrecht from Electro Sense Eastern Cape. She says a solar-powered home can generate between 75% to 100% of its own power. Solar panels are installed on the roof. These panels are made up on photovoltaic (PV) cells which convert sunlight into DC power. The DC power is sent to an inverter and converted to AC power, the same standard electrical. Wendy says they have always been ‘green’ people and started off with the basics like installing energy-efficient lighting throughout their home, occupancy sensors in most of the rooms, cooking with gas, doing away with the good old electric kettle and boiling only the necessary amount of water on the gas stove etc. With making these few small changes, she says there was a noticeable decrease in their monthly electricity bill, so the next obvious step was to instal a solar geyser. Once this was done, their average monthly electricity bill suddenly ranged between only R300 and R400 a month – and they run an office from home. They also own a portable gas geyser which they use when there hasn’t been sufficient sunlight during the day to heat the solar panels. According to Wendy, she thinks there may be a few others in PE who have taken the leap to being off the grid to date. “But if people knew just how little it changes your lifestyle, many more would be encouraged to follow suit,” she says. The solar panels and installation thereof cost in the region of R70 000.
The Fairest Fairies in the Land were crowned at a funfilled event held at The Boardwalk Vodacom Amphitheatre recently. This was the 4th annual Tinkerbell pageant. Little Stacey de Ridder (3) was crowned as Miss Tinkerbell. PHOTO: APPLE TREE PHOTOGRAPHY
Workers from Electro Sense EC busy installing solar panels on the Engelbrecht’s roof in Walmer. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
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EDITOR: BETTIE GILIOMEE
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UITENHAGE BRANCH • 201 Caledon Street, Central • Tel: 041 922 9461 • Fax: 041 922 4322 PORT ELIZABETH BRANCH • 17th Quarter, Shop 14 (next to Game), Walmer • Tel: 041 368 6006 • Fax: 041 368 2424
MIDSLEEPER
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