Beer manufacturer Heineken this week unveiled a 6.5 MW solar power plant at its Sedibeng brewery, in Midvaal.

The solar power plant was built as part of the company’s Brew a Better World initiative and will contribute to the group's efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.

The grid-based 6.5 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant was built in partnership with renewable energy solutions specialists SOLA Group and involved the installation of 14 000 PV panels.

The project integrated single-axis tracking technology, which allows the panels to face the sun throughout the day, providing the highest amount of energy possible. The plant’s weather station detects storms and allows the trackers to move the panels into a defensive stow position to avoid hail and wind.

The plant was built in about seven months and began supplying power to the brewery in May following its completion. The project, which stretches over 19 ha, will generate 17 000 MWh/y and supply 30% of the brewery’s power consumption.

Heineken and SOLA Group have entered a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA). SOLA Group owns and will maintain the power plant during the 15-year period. However, the plant itself has an expected lifespan of 25 years.

At the unveiling event, SOLA Group CEO Dom Wills explained that, while technological developments in PV technology were expected, the plant used the latest technology currently available.

“We don't see this becoming obsolete at any point in the next 15 years. And if there are . . . small things that we can change and add as we go, then we will incorporate that in the plan.”

The solar plant is WiFi-enabled and controlled. It is connected through a supervisory control and data acquisition control system, allowing for real-time monitoring and control.

Thus, if any faults or problems are identified through the system, it can be resolved remotely. If an issue cannot be resolved remotely, a team will visit the site to resolve it.

Owing to the plant being an embedded grid-connected generation project, electricity supply automatically turns off when the grid goes down. However, Wills explained the SOLA Group is working on a solution at the Sedibeng brewery to ensure the solar plant can be used to offset the impact of power generated by diesel generators during periods when the grid is down.

He added that, to take the solar plant completely off-grid would require the plant to meet 100% of the brewery’s power consumption needs, as well as storage solutions, among other considerations and additions.

Heineken South Africa engineering, strategic projects and sustainability manager Richard Kriel said the plant was the start of the brewery’s journey to using sustainable power sources and that the company was looking at other renewable energy options to supply the remaining 70% of power that the brewery required.