Since the beginning of Winter, the common word we have been hearing from Eskom is “Load shedding”. This is when there is insufficient power station capacity to supply the demand (load) from all the customers, so the electricity system becomes unbalanced, which can cause it to trip out country-wide and take days to restore. Eskom has recently stated that load shedding would remain a real risk for the next five years, according to a report by the City Press. This report is coming up just after a few months since Eskom increased the electricity tariffs.

It is possible to prevent all these challenges through the affordable Off-Grid Solar Power Systems, as they can be sustainable solutions to the power crisis that many South Africans are facing today. With that said, getting a solar panel kit at home can surely give you the backup power that you need to ensure that you won’t run out of electricity especially during load shedding.

Furthermore, Solar geysers use the sun’s energy to heat water which simply means that you get hot water for free. Approximately 50-60% of the average home energy consumption is spent on heating water, hence using solar geysers will reduce your energy cost by the same percentage which will amount to thousands of Rands in savings every year.

Go Solar, always have warm water and stay out of darkness this winter. SOLAR IS THE FUTURE!!!

Ignorance is the greatest fuel for poverty and thus knowledge is the greatest leverage against poverty. In the wise words of Amartya Sen, “Poverty is not just the lack of money; It is not having the capability to realize one’s full potential as a human being.”

As Apollo Technology, we extremely value education as we strongly believe that it’s a weapon to a brighter future for the children. By nurturing them from early stages it can help mitigate many challenges faced in life as well as open doors to a lot of opportunities for better prospects in career growth.

Since education is a vital tool to eradicate ignorance and thereby poverty, we saw it as an important action to reward the well deserving children with scholarships for the year 2018. In association with BNZ Foundation, we managed to award 10 top performing learners with a bursary that will cover school fees and uniforms for their first year in high school. Beneficiaries consisted of 5 boys and 5 girls from schools based in Kwazulu-Natal Province.

“Education is a key to success”, so as Apollo Technology we are dedicated to continue supporting the initiatives of foundations that are positively playing their part in terms of empowering the youth to a better future.

Apollo Solar Technology hosted yet another successful annual closing party on the 14^th of November 2017. It was a remarkable day for Management and fellow employees as everyone ended the 2017 year on a positive note as well as feeling inspired for the year 2018.

As Apollo management we place this function in very high regard as apart from enjoying delicious food and drinks it also gave us a platform to know our staff on a more personal level.  We are aware that staff work ethics improve when their efforts are recognised and appreciated thus this also giving us the chance to show employees our gratitude for the work they have accomplished throughout the year.

Apollo’s Managing Director, Anita Zhu, gave thanks to all employees for the hard work shown throughout the year in her opening speech before presenting certificates to the most notable staff members of 2017.

Employees who received certificates include:

• Christopher Zulu for Star Staff of the year
• Susan Li for Star Manager of the year
• Eden Mbayi for Most Service Attitude Employee
• Bethwell Mweli for Most Responsible Employee
• Titus Munyayi for Gold Service Employee
• Zamani Mhlope for Most Improved Employee

In addition, other employees also won shopping vouchers through a random draw competition. In keeping with our company’s code of conduct we aim to keep our staffs’ motivation and spirits high.

A hailstorm struck parts of Gauteng on Monday the 09^th of October 2017‚ with reports of roofs and solar geysers being damaged by golf ball sized hailstones on the West Rand and flash flooding in Randburg. A severe hailstorm even wrecked the roof of the well-known Cradlestone Mall in the West Rand area.

Regardless of how demolishing the storm was, we are proud to announce that no serious incidents related to our Apollo Solar Technology water heating systems were reported to us by our customers. This serves as a proof that our products are of a good quality, durable and hail resistant.

A handful number of our customers who were affected by the storm were just simply replacing the vacuum tubes and continuing to use their systems, which is very cost effective compared to people using flat panels because they have to replace the entire systems. Apollo Solar water heating system can still operate even with tubes breakage, and also performs better in colder and/or cloudier conditions than flat panel.

It is a great and an effortless move to switch to Apollo Solar Water Heating system as it can be also connected to existing electrical geyser and backup element. If you want to save money on your electricity bill, an alternative energy source for water heating is a great investment. By installing a solar water heater, you can save more than 50% on your electricity bill.

The Western Cape government has launched an initiative to encourage people and businesses to save and generate electricity. Called the Energy Security Game Changer, its aim is to create a cleaner environment and slow down climate change, and to save money at the same time.

If households and businesses invest in green technologies such as solar water heaters and solar photovoltaic panels and reduce their electricity use, then together we can meet the energy challenges of tomorrow.

In our homes, we use most of our electricity for water heating (30%), interior heating (21%), cooking (21%) and lighting (10%), so these are the areas you should target first.

If you want to save money on your electricity bill, an alternative energy source for water heating is a great investment! By installing a solar water heating system, you can save more than 50% on your electricity bill.

A solar water heater uses the radiation from the sun to generate heat, while a heat pump uses a relatively small amount of electricity to extract a lot of energy from the surrounding air.

By installing a solar water heater, a typical household of four will save a third of their electricity bill, and the savings will pay back the cost of the solar water heater in 2-3 years depending on the system.

Solar heating is also commonly referred to as solar water heating, largely because it is used to heat water for washing and showering. In South Africa, which is blessed by prevalent sunshine, solar water heating can provide up to 80% of hot water energy needs and significantly reduce electricity bills.

Advantages of solar water heaters

• Solar energy is free and clean: solar water heaters save you money and reduce your carbon footprint.
• Solar water heating systems are perfect for generating hot water where no electrical back up available.
• Solar heaters are easy to maintain.

Solar heating: more affordable than you think

A primary concern regarding the installation of solar heating systems is cost. Previously, the costs of solar energy were prohibitively high, but with technological advancements and an increasing awareness of the need to alleviate dependence on commercial energy sources, the average price of a solar heating system has decreased dramatically.

Studies have proven that solar heating systems have a payback time of 3-5 years depending on the system, which may seem like a long time until you consider what those savings mean to your monthly expenditure. By supplementing your electricity needs with solar heating you can save up to 60% off your monthly electricity bill.