CyprusLiving

Our existing 'normal' electrical mains pump has just turned it's toes up & we are considering investing in the new technology.

I am being quoted a '55% subsidy' (which I assume is an incentive provided by Cyprus Government in support of environment issues) reducing the overall total cost, I suspect that this could be a 'work of fiction' if I am first to pay the full amount & then apply for the subsidy?

Would be interested on your views (both positive & negative), if you have had a solar powered unit installed.

We had a solar pump installed in earlier this year using a German pump and panels. There are three panels on the roof for a pool 8x4. For the pump to be used to maximum effect i.e pool pump cleaning from sun up to sun down, the panels need to directly face south. Ours are facing S.E. and the pool pumps from sun up to 4.pm. The water is crystal clear. As required the two upper skimmers are closed and the dust on the bottom of the pool is swept down towards the drain and the leaves etc scooped up. This is done approx. every other day and the pool cleaned with the hose a maximum of twice a month. We have been delighted with such clean water and a reduction in our electricity bill. If for weather reasons the solar installation does not pump i.e.insufficient sunshine,we use the original pump supplied by the pool installer to clean the pool. The new pump is installed in parallel with the mains pump with manual isolating valves in each pump arm. The old pump is used at night if rain falls in great quantities and the the pool water level needs to be reduced. Given sunshine, this could be done the next day by the solar pump.

Given the price of electricity our solar pump was installed for economic reasons.We have made and lodged the application for a 55% rebate to the appropiate department in Nicosia. Given the state of gevernment coffers it remains to be seen whether we get our rebate and if we do how long it will take!! We did a spread sheet and the pay back time for installation for us was 4 years.If the rebate is given the pay back will be slightly under two years. I am unsure as to the "window" for submitting an application for a rebate.

Regards

Ros

Hi Ros,

Would you be prepared to share costings with us? and also the supplier...if you want, you could PM me this info.

KRs

Mick

HI,

Have sent you a p.m.
Regards
Ros

Hi;
Seem to remember reading about this type of system over the Summer; although my memory isn't what it was. The takeaway from the read was that the electricity board declared that they would object to the subsidy if it reduced their revenue; which looked like a fair bet

Steve

I can echo Ros's experience we have 4 South Facing PV panels and a Lorenz pump which keeps the pool circulating whilst there is daylight.

Considerable reduction in Electricity bills and a very clean pool.

Regarding the 55% subsidy, we too have lodged a claim for this with the dept. of Energy in Nicosia which they have acknowledged.

The money for this subsidy came from the EU, it is not Cypriot money and was dedicated for approved Energy saving projects. i.e. it is ring-fenced
and not part of any bail out.


But this is Cyprus.

micktreviss wrote:Hi Ros,

Would you be prepared to share costings with us? and also the supplier...if you want, you could PM me this info.

KRs

Mick

Solartec they did a nice job Very roughly €3700 - before subsidy if you ever get it.

ros wrote:As required the two upper skimmers are closed and the dust on the bottom of the pool is swept down towards the drain and the leaves etc scooped up. This is done approx. every other day and the pool cleaned with the hose a maximum of twice a month.


Ros

Hi ros
I've never heard of this, can you explain more please.
Surely a solar pump only replaces a electric one? The filter is still needed

Thanks chris

I don't think that solar swimming pool pumps should qualify for subsidies. In my opinion it is abuse of EU funds which we have all paid for. There are far more important 'essentials' that the money should be used for.

From all renewable energy systems I know is the solar driven pool pump system the most efficient
and economically interesting product.It pays for it's self in a few years, specially in Cyprus with
electricity prices of >29cent for one unit (KW/h).
Of course it is very important that the pump is installed from qualified plumbers and electricians which
understand their job as there are many chances that mistakes lead to problems.
Every pool is quite unique and it is necessary to find the best position for the PV Panels
and understand the different pool designs with skimmers, overflow pool, pump house lower than the pool,
sanitation systems and much more. Only a company with experience in this sector (Mechanical Installations company)
will install a solar pool pump how it should be.
I cannot believe when I read the advice of an installer to CLOSE the skimmers of the pool as the skimmers
have the task to skim and suck into the basket everything which is floating on top of the water...

There are two different solar pool pumps from Lorentz, Germany, the leading company, for pools
<80 tons of water and for larger pools any size.(various pumps in parallel)
The standard pump can circulate with 3 or 4 panels every day of the year app. 160 tons of water/day.
which means the water of a 8x4m pool goes through the filter four times.
The commercial pumps runs with 6 to 8 panels and are circulating app. 350 to 400 tons of water.
That is why the water is so clean when it is run by the power of the sun as the pump starts
working with the first daylight until dawn. This are much more hours than one can afford to
run his pool with an normal electric pump at prices per unit we have now in Cyprus.
The pumps are DC pumps and run on 3-phase DC thanks to the controller which comes with
the system. The controller also includes electronic MPPT which led the pump run always on
maximum power. DC (current) is produced from the photovoltaic panels and the pump is also DC so there
are no losses. (one of the reasons the system works so efficient) Also the pumps are brush-less which
means no wear and tear (designed for 10 years lifespan) and are very quiet compare with normal pumps.

In my opinion it is a very good investment with or without subsidy. Is there any investment on the market
which gives one more than 30% interest and this comes with guarantee as the reduced electricity bill arrive
2 month after you have installed a solar pump.
When even hotels run their pools recently with solar pumps in times of economic problems it shows it all.
Friends of mine had their holidays a couple of month ago at the Avanti complex and photographed the system.

Hi All.
I think its good for the environment but pay back time is still a long time, There are other options out there Eco pumps that are now on the market,with built in time clocks with variable speeds that keep costs down, just returned from Lyon pool Show there seem to be many types out there now. Would do some research first.
Regards Steve.

@Stephen Conway
I don't agree!
When a pay back time is roughly 3 years it is NOT a long time as you said.
For Eco pumps you have to pay as much as 1250 Euro and you still have to pay
your electricity bill even if it is less than a normal pump uses. With a solar pump
you pay nothing at all and as the motor is brush-less lifespan of the pump
is much longer. Lorentz pumps are designed to run > 10 years.
A couple of month back you had very positive comments about solar pump systems,
what changed your mind? 4 years ago the price for photovoltaic panels was much
higher than now which means it is NOW the right time to install such a system as the
electricity prices increased in this period of time from 15 cent to 29 cent per unit.

I've had one for a couple of years and find it was worth the investment even though I still haven't received the grant that was applied for off the government. The only downside is that we use the electric driven pump which is in parallel when cleaning the pool as it has more suction power than the solar pump. Other than that I'm very satisfied.

@ Jim B

In full sunshine between 10am and 2pm it should be OK to clean
the pool as this time of the day the sun irradiation is the strongest
and the pump performs better.
Anyhow the pool cleaning time is very short compared with
the time the pump is working with the sun every day of the year.

Hi Max

It may be just a peronal thing with me but the vacuum suction with the electric pump is much stronger so I can clean the pool much quicker with. You are correct that cleaning time is minimal againsy actual running time.

cyprusmax47 wrote:
When a pay back time is roughly 3 years it is NOT a long time as you said.

I am puzzled as to how you estimate the payback time to be 3 years. I have connected an energy meter to my pool pump and I know it costs €50 per month when run for 5 hours per day. As I cover the pool for the winter that means the annual electric cost is around €300. I understand that the solar powered installation costs around €4,000, so even with the 55% rebate it would take around 6 years to cover the cost.

Am I missing something here ?

Can anyone advise me if the pool pump subsidy payments have been stopped in Cyprus. Our solar pool pump was fitted in June 2014 by a leading Paphos based installer. It is working well, but there is, as yet, no sign and no communication about when the promised "50% rebate payment" will appear. Is anyone else still waiting ...?

Was stopped about 3 years ago. Never got mine and when I queried it I was told that because the date of the application was after the date of the invoice then I would not receive a subsidy. In other words you have to make the application, get approval and then have the panels and pump fitted. Doubt if anybody gets the subsidy under those terms.

Still worth it though even without the subsidy. My pump is on permanently and I never worry about the cost of operation.