A R17-million, 1 MW industrial grid-tied solar plant, placed atop the 100 000 m² roof of Belgotex Floorcoverings’ manufacturing facility in Pietermaritzburg, was set to come online in November.
The new plant, which was installed by Sustainable Power Solutions within two-and-a-half months, was part of a new strategy by Belgotex to offset 5% of its carbon emissions.
The system, comprising 4 080 polycrystalline modules, each rated at 245 Wp, was expected to yield about 1 415 MWh a year.
The energy generated daily by the plant was estimated to power about 200 average households, while avoiding 1 386 t/y of carbon emissions, as it did not rely on coal-powered energy.
“The interest of commercial and industrial clients in solar power generation is what will make solar power sustainable in South Africa and will ultimately lead to a change in how the electricity sector in South Africa will operate to incorporate the increasing contribution of intermittent renewable-energy generation,” Sustainable Power Solutions MD Axel Scholle said.