Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Solar System

The panels are up and producing. The final step is for the national electricity supplier to install the two-way meter required to credit it us for any surplus we produce, up to a limit.

 



Solar water heater

Using the heat of the sun in a country where it shines so much and with so much passion it just feels like it would be a shame not to. And then there's the financial consideration: heating water with electricity from the Costa Rican Instituto de Electricidad (ICE) is getting more and more expensive and solar powered water heating can mean real savings in short timescales. It's not the best photo ever taken of a solar water-heater but you get the idea - it's a tank and solar collector mounted on our roof. See the Purasol website for more photos of solar hot water systems in Costa Rica.

Trench for water and electricity

This trench, alongside the access track to the site is where the water pipe and electricity cable will be lain.
The municipality electricity cables reach as far as the gate to the property; Oren and Alex extended them a further 30m for their house. We needed to lay another 30m of cable to connect our house to the grid.

There is no municipality water where we are so we are having to find our own way of getting water.