Infrastructure solutions group Akhani and energy management services company Energy Cybernetics have partnered to identify opportunities to roll out solar photovoltaic (PV) technology and bring down the costs of energy in sub-Saharan Africa.
The two South African companies initially planned to reduce the monthly energy costs at "identified sites” by between 15% and 20% through the implementation of solar PV and related energy efficiency projects.
“In many African countries, lagging infrastructure development means that many sites have to rely on diesel fuel as the primary source of energy,” the companies said in a joint statement, adding that the cost of electricity generated from the combustion of diesel fuel was “very high” when compared with other sources of energy.
But through the roll-out of energy efficiency projects alongside solar PV-generated electricity, monthly energy cost savings were possible – particularly for businesses, such as mining operations, in remote locations where a reliable and cost-effective supply was important.
The parties said the venture was in a position to supply turnkey PV plants of the magnitude required in applications such as mining after Energy Cybernetics established a renewable-energy arm, SunCybernetics, with the backing of international knowledge transfer and skills development.