by Duncan Crosthwaite | May 18, 2017
Stand A140 this Saturday and Sunday 20-21st May 2017 @ SECC
Are you embarking on a self-build or renovation project? The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show is the go-to exhibition for self builders and renovators. No matter what stage your project is at, come to the show and visit us on Stand A140 this weekend. We will have our solar experts on hand to answer your questions on solar and battery storage and integrating the technology into your home. We look forward to meeting you this weekend!
by Duncan Crosthwaite | Jun 27, 2016
Situated in the beautiful highland surroundings of Spean Bridge, Ceiba Renewables completed their first Tesla Powerwall installation for a customer who has been undertaking their own Grand Designs-esque new build.
The eco-house is served by a 9.81kWp Sunpower PV system and two SolarEdge inverters which now has the Tesla Powerwall integrated so that the house will be able to benefit from solar PV power at night.
The PV system will produce around 8,764kWh per annum and with the demand of the house being estimated to be 8,250kWh per annum, the property should be a net exporter of energy. However, as with all solar PV systems without battery storage then as much as 70% of the solar PV power could be exported to the grid which means less financial savings for the homeowner. Having the Tesla Powerwall installed means that PV power that would have been exported to the grid can now charge the Powerwall to be used in the house later at night.
Duncan Crosthwaite of Ceiba Renewables said: “We’re really pleased with how the installation has gone and it’s great to be able to monitor the performance of both the PV system and the Tesla Powerwall using the SolarEdge monitoring portal. This technology is going to revolutionise home energy usage and is going to be crucial in helping homes and businesses reduce their electricity bills.”
If you’re interested in the Tesla Powerwall and would like more information or a quote please contact Ceiba Renewables today: info@ceiba-renewables.co.uk or telephone: 0844 3574865
by Duncan Crosthwaite | Jun 7, 2016
Ceiba Renewables are proud to announce that we have become a Tesla Energy Certified Installer. Tesla are renowned for their high performance electric vehicles from which they have adapted their battery technology in the form of the Tesla Powerwall.
We’re delighted to become a Tesla Energy Certified Installer after a lengthy selection process and we can now offer the Powerwall to customers who are keen to utilise this battery storage technology to enhance their solar PV savings and minimise their reliance on the grid.
Combined with Solaredge inverter technology we can adapt the Powerwall to all situations, including retrofitting to existing PV systems.
We are currently carrying out surveys and taking orders for the Tesla Powerwall now and hope to begin installing at the end of June, start of July. If you’re keen to take advantage of this revolution in battery storage get in touch and we’ll be delighted to help.
by Duncan Crosthwaite | Jun 2, 2016
Ceiba Renewables have installed an 8.04kWp Sunpower solar PV system at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine, Ayrshire. The system will generate in excess of 6,800kWh a year that will supply power to run their offices, workshops and the museum itself.
The Maritime Museum holds an important nationally recognised collection, encompassing a variety of historic ships, artefacts, shipbuilding machinery, machine tools, and fascinating personal items. Many of these exhibits can be found inside the Linthouse Building in Irvine, a unique Grade A listed, 19th—century historic building known as the Linthouse Engine Shop ‘Cathedral of Engineering’.
The solar PV installation uses the most advanced solar PV technology which was chosen by the Scottish Maritime Museum in order to deliver maximum solar yields and unprecedented durability.
The PV system utilises Sunpower X21 335W all-black panels and SolarEdge power optimiser inverter technology. Sunpower’s X21 series of panels hold the world-record for efficiency of any commercially available panel and uses their Maxeon technology which delivers superior performance and greatly enhanced durability over conventional solar PV panels. The SolarEdge power optimiser technology further improves the yield of the PV system, gives firefighter safe isolation of each solar panel and provides detailed monitoring so that should a fault ever develop it can be identified and fixed quickly and with minimal hassle.
Chris Woodland, Commercial Manager at the Scottish Maritime Museum said:
“We are always looking for ways to minimise our operational expenses without impacting on the visitor experience and this is an excellent example of the Scottish Maritime Museum’s dedication to improving its energy efficiency”
Duncan Crosthwaite, Director at Ceiba Renewables said: “The Scottish Maritime Museum had some very specific design considerations as the building is part of a conservation area and we wanted to maximise the available roof space while keeping within planning requirements. In addition to this, the panels needed to be able to withstand the harsh coastal weather conditions. Therefore the Sunpower X21 all-black 335W panels are the perfect solution. The 335W panels look great, give fantastic performance and are extremely durable meaning they’ll give high yields year after year.”
Such is the reliability and performance of Sunpower’s silicon cells that they are being used by the likes of the Solar Impulse 2 which is the first airplane travelling around the world solely powered by the sun and, of more relevance to the Scottish Maritime Museum, the catamaran MS Tûranor PlanetSolar is the first vessel to sail around the world powered completely by solar power. You can read more about MS Tûranor PlanetSolar here: https://global.sunpower.com/solar-case-studies/planet-solar-boat/
You can find out more about the Scottish Maritime Museum, the events they hold and the fantastic work they do in the community here: https://scottishmaritimemuseum.org
by Duncan Crosthwaite | May 16, 2016
Planning on building your dream home, renovating or looking to reduce your home energy bills? Why not come and visit us at the Homebuilding & Renovating Show at the SECC this weekend! The Ceiba Renewables team will be on hand to help with any questions and showcase the latest solar PV technology. Get your free tickets here and visit us at stand 146. The show runs from 10am-5pm on Saturday 21st May and from 10am to 4.30pm on Sunday 22nd May. We hope to see you there!
by Duncan Crosthwaite | Nov 7, 2015
Ceiba Renewables have pledged to donate a modest $10 (£6.40) to Stand For Trees projects for each solar PV system they install. The move is designed to raise awareness about the over-consumption of the world’s natural resources.
Stand For Trees (www.standfortrees.org) are a charity whose mission is to protect endangered forests and reduce the impacts of climate change. They have a large number of projects across the world trying to help some of the most beautiful and nature-rich ecosystems in Asia, South America and Africa.
For example, the Rimba Raya Orangutan Reserve in Indonesia is one of the most highly endangered ecosystems in the world – the High Conservation Value (HCV), lowland peat swamp forest is home to local communities and over 1,000 at-risk plant and animal species including the Borneo orangutan, clouded leopard and Asian sun bear. Every day mining, paper and palm oil interests lay plans to destroy these forests.
Through the Stand For Trees projects the charity aims to protect endangered species, stop deforestation, empower local communities, protect wildlife, curb climate change and preserve habitats.
Ceiba Renewables’ actions relate to the recent news ( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/12/humans-have-already-used-up-2015s-supply-of-earths-resources-analysis ) that humanity’s consumption of our natural resources is now 1.6 times that of the earth’s ability to replenish itself. This “ecological deficit” is being witnessed at an ever-alarming rate as witnessed through deforestation, soil erosion, depletion of water resources and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Every certificate purchased goes towards a particular project of the donators choice and Stand For Trees have estimated that each $10 donation will save approximately 1 tonne of carbon.
Ceiba Renewables’ Debbie Crosthwaite who developed the idea, said:
“As a company and as individuals we at Ceiba Renewables are acutely aware of the long-term legacy that our activities are having on the environment and eco-systems. News stories such as the Guardian’s really hammers home the fact that we need to get away from the corporate model of putting short-term profits over environment, over health, over local communities, etc. According to the World Resources Institute, 80% of the world’s natural forests have been destroyed since the Industrial Revolution and it appears that the rate of destruction is only increasing. While the world’s energy demands is a complex and sometimes thorny issue to discuss, I think one thing everyone can agree on is that there has been more than enough destruction of the world’s ecosystems.
“We found Stand For Trees after watching an online video through Facebook” You can watch the clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRLJscAlk1M
“and we considered a number of similar charities before opting for Stand For Trees”.
“The Stand For Trees certificate is a nice way to start our customer’s off on their solar power experience, so as well as doing a great thing by reducing their own electricity consumption and CO2 emissions, now they’re also having a direct, positive (albeit small) effect on crucial eco systems in vitally important places around the world.”
www.ceiba-renewables.co.uk
www.standfortrees.org
