Solar PV has an important role to play towards the transition to a lower carbon intensive economy. It is likely that the impending direction for Solar PV will move towards more utility scale, off grid and rooftop installations; as well as more municipalities building on their SSEG processes and tariffs.
Those engaged in product manufacture and others in large factories and warehouses are generally using a substantial amount of electricity during daylight hours, which makes them excellent candidates for solar energy. Solar energy officially became the cheapest energy source in the world in 2016, surpassing wind and its fossil fuel counterparts like natural gas; this means solar power will save a manufacturer thousands of Rands over time on electricity costs and provides a hedge against energy price increases, making your company more competitive.
Let’s take a look at why solar is such a good fit for these industries:
• Most concerns operate during sunlight hours, however, with battery technology rapidly decreasing in price, even 24-hour operations can benefit from solar energy created during the day.
• Peak factory / floor energy use and peak power production from the PV solar system will generally coincide or be stored, which means no produced power goes to waste.
• Large-scale commercial solar systems are an even better deal in terms of long-term savings because of the economies of scale inherent in solar power. The cost of energy will decrease the larger the system is.
• If batteries are included in the design, power outages can be seamless and the exorbitant cost of running diesel generators can be obviated.
• Factories are known for having large flat roofs with ample roof space, offering an ideal installation site for solar panels.
• Carbon taxes are definitely a reality in South Africa’s future, thus it would be beneficial to start using renewable energy today.
• The greening of a company is a newsworthy upgrade that sets your business apart from others and offers huge marketing and competitive advantages.
Whether your operation is big or small, solar can reduce your electricity bill.
Solar power will save a manufacturer thousands of Rands over time on electricity costs and provides a hedge against energy price increases, making your company more competitive
Case Study
Commercial Building, Gauteng, 60kWp Grid Tie System
A Grid-Tie PV system was found to be the most ideal solution given the fact that the production profile of the PV system fitted well into the power usage profile of the company. The system generates approximately 90MWh per year and offers a high return on capital while reducing the operational expenditure of the company. This system has saved the client in the region of R750 000 since its installation in 2016. As electricity tariffs increase annually, the gap between the cost of self-generation and Eskom supplied power will increase, thus the sooner you make the move to solar the better.
Sources: www.sinetech.co.za / www.pvgreencard.co.za