{"id":98,"date":"2014-12-17T06:29:27","date_gmt":"2014-12-17T04:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/solar.straton.org.za\/?p=98"},"modified":"2014-12-17T06:29:27","modified_gmt":"2014-12-17T04:29:27","slug":"case-study-maui-off-grid-luxury-smart-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/case-study-maui-off-grid-luxury-smart-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Case Study – Maui Off-Grid Luxury Smart Home"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Maui<\/a>
Maui Off Grid Smart Home<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is no denying that the cost of electricity in Hawaii is considerably higher than the rest of the US. With a heavy dependence on oil and the lack of a reliable centralized grid for backup throughout the islands, the average cost of residential electricity for the island of Maui in 2013 was 37.82 US cents per kWh – the equivalent of ZAR 4.41 as at 17 December 2014 and compared with the highest 2013\/14 IBT Tarrif for Nelson Mandela Bay at R1.3803 per kWh.<\/p>\n

Homeowners share the common pain of demanding costs on top of an unsettling reliance to the local utility grid. However, one luxury homeowner in Maui had demands of his own\u2014achieve complete grid independence and gain confident access to clean quality power. This has been a demand to a solution shared only by those who realize this opportunity, but it is no longer a dream of the future to be energy independent and to be their own energy producer on the Hawaiian Islands.<\/p>\n

To address this need, Ameresco Solar and Maui Builders Inc collaborated to bring together a robust and extensive hybrid system for their client. Being an impressive estate equipped with the latest smart home technologies, the hybrid system needed to be a beast of its own. It must seamlessly power large loads on a daily basis that would otherwise be sensitive to fluctuating power quality from the grid.<\/p>\n

In addition to ground-mounted PV arrays and a 5.5 tons flooded lead acid battery bank (with a capacity of 3200 amp hours at 48 volts), the installation included the following from Schneider Electric:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • 4x Conext XW 6048 120 240 60<\/li>\n
  • 4x Conext MPPT 80 600<\/li>\n
  • 2x Conext ComBox<\/li>\n
  • 2x Conext System Control Panel<\/li>\n
  • Conext Automatic Generator Start<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The Conext XW inverter\/charger proved to be the perfect choice for Ameresco Solar and Maui Builders for this installation. The XW inverter\/charger delivers clean and stable power through its superior AC output voltage regulation of 120 V with +\/- 3%. This offers the capabilities and performance to support large power loads required of a home and lifestyle of this magnitude. Completed by its integrated solar charge controller, generator control, monitoring, and configuration systems, the overall XW system becomes the secure and reliable grid for this Maui homeowner’s new off-grid lifestyle.<\/p>\n

    Schneider Electric expressed pride that their Conext XW inverters, MPPT 80 solar charge controllers, Conext ComBox monitoring system, Conext System Control Panels (SCP), and Conext AGS were chosen for this project to deliver superior and stable power for this Maui homeowner’s new off-grid lifestyle.<\/p>\n

    Contrary to popular belief, even a large system such as this pencils out to have a reasonable pay-back analysis when compared to the high cost of electricity in Hawaii. It also has the added benefit of grid independence, high reliability, and superior power quality.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    There is no denying that the cost of electricity in Hawaii is considerably higher than the rest of the US. With a heavy dependence on oil and the lack of a reliable centralized grid for backup throughout the islands, the average cost of residential electricity for the island of Maui in 2013 was 37.82 US […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[63,73,96],"class_list":{"0":"post-98","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-solar","7":"tag-maui","8":"tag-off-grid","9":"tag-smart-home","10":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Alan","author_link":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/author\/alan\/"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5HvVd-1A","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":300,"url":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/solar-power-to-the-rescue\/","url_meta":{"origin":98,"position":0},"title":"Solar power to the rescue","author":"Alan","date":"28 January 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Overall, South Africa has good weather offering an excellent environment for solar power. The price of solar power has plummeted in recent years. Tobias Bischof-Niemz, energy engineer at the CSIR, said that five years ago a photovoltaic system cost R5 per kWh, compared to Eskom\u2019s R0.50 per kWh. Today a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar"","block_context":{"text":"Solar","link":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/category\/solar\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":698,"url":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/funding-and-utility-connection-it-online\/","url_meta":{"origin":98,"position":1},"title":"Funding and utility connection | IT-Online","author":"Alan","date":"6 August 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Grid tie solar systems are the simplest and most cost effective method for utilising solar energy as a replacement for day-to-day power requirements. On a very basic level, the grid tie invertor converts the direct current (DC) power generated by solar panels, into the alternating current (AC), and injects this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar"","block_context":{"text":"Solar","link":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/category\/solar\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":681,"url":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/would-you-rather-pay-79ckwh-for-20-years-or-chance-eskoms-increases\/","url_meta":{"origin":98,"position":2},"title":"Would you rather pay 79c\/kWh for 20 years or chance Eskoms increases?","author":"Alan","date":"18 July 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"How to save R881 176.81 and contribute to the planet! Consider the facts that: the price of electricity per kWh will increase year on year installing Solar Power effectively locks you in to a fixed price per kWh for the life of the system Then take your calculator out and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar"","block_context":{"text":"Solar","link":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/category\/solar\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6240,"url":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/press-release-are-you-really-off-grid\/","url_meta":{"origin":98,"position":3},"title":"Press Release: Are you really “Off-Grid”?","author":"Alan","date":"20 February 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"How Much does an Off-Grid System Cost? The difference between Off-Grid and Grid-Tie Do you know what type of solar system you have installed? Of the 4 types of solar systems available which one give the best ROI? Which Solar System SHOULD be incentivised FIRST by government? Beleaguered South African\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar"","block_context":{"text":"Solar","link":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/category\/solar\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Solar Turtle","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Solar_Turtle.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Solar_Turtle.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Solar_Turtle.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Solar_Turtle.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":157,"url":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/the-grace-family-residential-solar-system\/","url_meta":{"origin":98,"position":4},"title":"The Grace Family – Residential Solar System","author":"Alan","date":"7 January 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Located in Uraidla, close to the Cleland Conservation Park, the Grace family home provides its five residents with all the advantages of country living, while still being less than 15 minutes drive from the bustling city of Adelaide, Australia. Like most Australian families, the Grace\u2019s had seen their energy costs\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar"","block_context":{"text":"Solar","link":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/category\/solar\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Grace Family Home Studio","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/solar.straton.org.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Grace_Family_Home_Studio.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/solar.straton.org.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Grace_Family_Home_Studio.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/solar.straton.org.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Grace_Family_Home_Studio.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/solar.straton.org.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Grace_Family_Home_Studio.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":884,"url":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/why-the-nmbm-electricity-department-is-the-bomb\/","url_meta":{"origin":98,"position":5},"title":"Why the NMBM Electricity Department is the ‘bomb’","author":"Alan","date":"27 November 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The reason is a simple one: The Nelson Mandela Bay Electricity Department is the ONLY one in South Africa that allows you to Grid-Tie your renewable energy installation - like Solar PV - on a ONE FOR ONE basis *. \"Huh, how does that benefit me?\" you ask. Simple -\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar"","block_context":{"text":"Solar","link":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/category\/solar\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/straton.co.za\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}