Image via WikipediaBy Michael Phiri-SmithI am a big fan of paying things off. I like to look at a credit card with a zero balance, to look at a car that's fully paid and do my best to pay more than I should just to get the mortgage moving. So when you ask me about solar power and generator power, I am inclined to go with the one that will not require paying over and over again or even forever!
Sounds like solar power right? Right.
But just like that mortgage that's paid off one needs to actually pay it off and that's not easy for most people now is it? Same with solar power. While with solar power you can go for years without paying anything at all, the setup tends to be very expensive. The reason you do not see solar panels on every roof right now when all we talk about is green energy and global warming is because electric power on the grid is still the cheapest alternative per watt of power generated. I know you may argue that it is because big business has invested heavily to make it efficient and cheaper so we can do the same with solar in time. Well true. But again just like the mortgage I mentioned before, getting there will be painful. For now setting up solar power is expensive and for most people just not worth it.
A generator on the other hand is "very affordable" but it comes with its own disadvantages. First of all it is an engine and will be just like your car. I am talking oil changes and frequent servicing, spark plugs and MOTs for maintenance sake and not for legal mandatory reasons. And I have not even started on the noise and smell of diesel or petrol. Overall with the servicing and the limited life span due to the engine involved ground costs will be hefty. This not taking into consideration the actual fuel bill you will have to foot every week or so.
Solar panels have an average lifespan of up to 30 years so let's see how many generators you will need to last you 30 years and how many times you will need to "fill 'er up" to get some power. On this basis alone solar power is better. If it's a question of start up costs one can always try to get it factored into your mortgage so it becomes part of the rent payment and not an extra. Keep the generators to what they were intended for and that's for emergency use only limiting their use to a few hours at a time.
In Zimbabwe in particular we have had times when fuel shortages were so bad that half the road traffic would not make it on a good day so if you have to depend on this for your home as well its not a particularly smart move at all.
In conclusion solar power is a better option for Zimbabwe. And if the costs are too steep then one can always take a week's course on making home-made solar panels. Get the solar cells and other raw materials required and make one for yourself. I took this course and have made trial solar systems and they work great. With the scale of an actual house I would recommend that when finished, one should always get a skilled electrician to verify everything before going live. This is electricity and safety must always come first.
If you are in the UK, USA, Australia, Canada and so on and need a company you can trust to source solar panels in Zimbabwe or any services from abroad then visit http://www.zimswap.com. You can contact the author at the website listed for more information on DIY solar projects.
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