Going wire-free in Africa: Two examples

Our last blog post focused on how microgrids in Africa can enable electrification in rural communities to encourage economic prosperity without the need of centralised grid infrastructure. This blog explores two examples that SOLA Future Energy has designed, engineered and built – and how these might be replicated in African communities.

Robben Island – an isolated microgrid

Robben Island’s state-of-the-art microgrid is the largest combined solar and lithium-ion storage facility in South Africa. The microgrid, consisting of a combined solar PV facility and a battery bank, has enabled the island to move away from its diesel generators. Since adopting this green energy system, the island has already produced 650 000 kWh of solar energy – an average of 3250 kwh per day – which has significantly reduced its reliance on traditional diesel generators, a noisy and expensive feature of the energy system.

In the past, diesel had to be transported by ship from the mainland to fuel the diesel generators. The island’s load is primarily occupied by a desalination plant and to provide power for the 100 residents who live on the island. The cost of purchasing and transporting the diesel formed a substantial portion of the island’s operating budget. Over and above the financial considerations, the noise and dust emanating from the generators were not creating a tourist-friendly environment.

Cedar Mill Mall – solar and batteries enabling development

Robben Island is a perfect example of how microgrids can provide electricity supply in rural contexts that are isolated from electricity grids. However, even grid-connected businesses can benefit from microgrid technology.

This is exactly why Noble Property Fund, developers of Cedar Mill shopping centre in Clanwilliam, a rural town in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape in South Africa, approached SOLA Future Energy to help with their power supply needs. Initially, the developers had applied for a 500 kVA connection from Eskom to power the facility, but the parastatal was only able to approve half of their demand requirements due to local constraints to the grid.

Faced with a major supply shortage, the developers were forced to consider utilising noisy and expensive diesel generators to make up the shortfall. As an alternative, SOLA suggested the use of solar PV and batteries to make up for the shortage, and has subsequently been appointed to integrate a microgrid into the shopping centre. Consisting of a 851kWp solar PV system with a 700kWh lithium ion battery, the microgrid makes up for the power shortfall – allowing the mall’s development to continue.  

“Incorporating a microgrid into the shopping centre turned out to be a financially attractive solution when considering how much energy could be harvested and stored from solar PV,” said Mario Dos Reis, director of Leasing at Noble Property Fund. “The shopping centre will be a blessing for small business owners in the town looking for an accessible and safe location to trade”.

As such, although the mall already had grid connection, the solar PV microgrid enabled the building of the mall to go ahead. This mall will become an economic hub of activity in the mostly rural region, providing jobs and economic spinoffs to the local community. The cost-savings of the building owners will trickle down to tenants, and hopefully make businesses more profitable as a result.