Access to cheaper and reliable energy, through renewable-energy technology, will be a catalyst to boost the African continent’s gross domestic product in a sustainable way, green energy technology provider New Southern Energy (NSE) CEO David Masureik tells Engineering News in an interview.

Renewable energy, such as wind and solar, is easier to deploy in remote locations and has less associated costs in terms of the damage it inflicts on the environment, he states.

He adds that implementing renewable technology, through hybrid microgrid solutions, will enable the continent to overcome challenges such as high commodity prices and poor and costly access to energy.

However, with sparse availability of existing grid infrastructure and a lack of financial support across Africa, Masureik believes the solution lies in microgrid applications, as these can be “applied in remote sites with little to no grid access”.

“Large parts of Africa will remain without power for a long time if we . . . wait for the utilities to build transmission lines and increase energy supply,” he laments, adding that solar and wind solutions can be easily deployed in remote locations for rural electrification or off-grid applications, without the added burden of costly transmission lines and grid infrastructure.

Microgrid sites, he points out, usually run off diesel generators with operational expenses that can be as high as $0.50/kWh. NSE’s microgrid solutions, which are typically hybrid solar solutions, convert the site to run predominantly off renewable energy, thereby saving large amounts of diesel and reducing the related negative environmental impact, Masureik says.

The challenge, he avers, has always been the offtake, and getting investor involvement.

All is not lost, however, Masureik points out, as growing industry awareness has had a positive influence on both the business model and the uptake.

In terms of uptake, especially considering the 650-million people in Africa currently without access to energy, Masureik believes there is a clear trend in the uptake of microgrid solutions.

“What we’re seeing in the industry at the moment is twofold. You’re seeing an increasing uptake in your home-solar markets, which goes a long way towards reaching these 650-million people. We are also seeing the business case for rural electrification maturing, where, in the past, microgrids were focused on commercial and industrial industries, owing to a lack of investor comfort,” he explains.

In an attempt to bolster Africa’s infant renewable-energy industry, Masureik says, NSE’s end-to-end service is available, which includes operation and maintenance (O&M) services.

O&M services, which are still at the bottom of the curve in terms of efficiency, optimisation and understanding, he adds, provided an opportunity for the company to enter into a partnership with Belgium-based drone software company SiteMark.

“With SiteMark, we’re able to improve on O&M through the use of drone technology to inspect the site and its panels for anomalies, instead of the traditionally used hand-held thermographics,” Masureik says.

Drone technology, he adds, provides a more efficient and cost-effective solution to survey a microgrid plant.

While he champions renewables, Masureik cautions that Africa’s energy future will not be reliant solely on renewables but that it will require a mix of energy technologies.

“You have to keep the baseload in mind in terms of providing a whole country, or continent, with energy. While energy transition is undeniable, renewables will play an increasingly greater role in the energy mix as battery technologies improve, but this will take time.”

African Project Focus

In late May, NSE successfully commissioned two microgrid projects in the Okavango Delta, in Botswana.

Built for luxury lodges, the microgrids are capable of 212 kWp PV with a 630 kWh/159 kVa Tesla battery pack and 100 kWp PV with a 285 kWh battery pack.

NSE also provided the bulk alternating current reticulation, as well as hot water solutions for the sites.

Considering that both of these sites ran an entire day on generators prior to NSE involvement, Masureik highlights, both sites are now saving significantly on diesel, while remaining environment friendly.

Other projects included a solar thermal plant that was installed at a hotel in Cape Town.

Solar thermal solutions, he adds, are ideally suited for clients with a high hot water demand.

“Through NSE’s exclusive partnership with unique premium technologies, we are able to provide our clients with best-in-class solutions to meet their requirements,” he concludes.