Longshot Engineering...

Solar and Backup Power Installation and Maintenance services

Off-grid Solar System

An off-grid solar system is best suited for remote areas with poor or no access to the grid. As the name suggests, this solution is completely independent of the grid and can be configured to power a wide range of appliances from lights and fans to fridges, washing machines, computers and even air-conditioners!

Hybrid solar system

This is the most popular option in Zimbabwe. A hybrid solar system combines the best from the grid-tied solar system and the off-grid system: it can interact with the utility grid and also store energy in a battery bank. In an on-grid solar system, the system shuts down during a power outage for the safety of any repairs to the power lines nearby. However, a hybrid system can safely disconnect from the grid and provide electricity even during a power outage. This feature makes the hybrid system a more economical and environment-friendly alternative to an on-grid solar system with a backup diesel generator.

In principle, the hybrid system works similar to an off-grid system. However, after charging the batteries and meeting the load requirements, the hybrid system is capable of exporting the excess solar generation to the grid. Moreover, any shortfall in solar generation is compensated by importing electricity from the utility grid, e.g. for charging the batteries or powering the load. The net energy is measured by a bi-directional meter based on the energy imported and exported between the system and the grid.

Water pumps

In remote areas with infrequent or no power supply, the lack of a reliable water supply is a major concern. Solar powered water pumps are ideal in such situations to draw water from bore wells or water reservoirs for diverse applications such as irrigation, supply of drinking water or meeting household needs. These versatile pumps can run directly on solar panels, or on single phase grid supply or even on batteries if there is no grid supply. The pumps are available in various capacities with head heights ranging from 15m to 120m. The solar modules can be mounted on a customized mounting structure.

What should you consider before installing home solar panels?

More Zimbabweans than ever before are discovering the benefits of residential solar panels. Solar capacity is projected to grow significantly thanks to an abundance of sunshine, falling panel prices, and favorable policies. Here are several factors that you should know to determine whether your home is a good fit for a solar panel installation:

• Shade is one of the most common reasons people cannot install residential solar panels. Trees or other impediments to full sunlight throughout the entire day can negatively impact solar panel efficiency.
• For rooftop systems, your roof must be in good condition. It is ideal but not necessarily required for your home to have north or east exposure. Solar can be mounted on all roof materials.
• Depending on the residential property, ground-mounted solar panel systems and solar carports may be good alternatives if rooftop solar is not feasible.
• If you are building a home, it is less expensive to incorporate solar into your plans from the beginning. We will work with your developer to ensure the process is efficient and seamless for you.