SolarAfrica, Aquion Energy install offgrid solar system in Kenya

14th July 2016

By: Natasha Odendaal

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

  

Font size: - +

Solar energy services firm SolarAfrica on Thursday said it had, along with Aqueous Hybrid Ion batteries and energy storage systems manufacturer Aquion Energy, completed the installation of an offgrid microgrid at the wildlife research and ecotourism hub Loisaba Conservancy, in Kenya.

The offgrid solar and storage system was equipped with two independent systems – 106 kWh of Aquion batteries and a 37 kW solar array – and effectively replaced diesel generators to power a commercial laundry, swimming pool, kitchen, business services, lighting, cooling and other facility loads, reducing Loisaba’s diesel use by 95%.

Funded, designed, installed and integrated by SolarAfrica, the microgrid’s solar array powered various loads from the facilities and pools, while charging the Aquion batteries during the day for discharge at night or to provide power during periods of cloud cover.

“The outcome of this project has made many significant changes to the way we use energy and how we perceive it. We noticed how the lodge quickly descended into a blissfully quiet state, as the constant humming of generators were turned off,” SolarAfrica project manager Dr Kobus van Tonder said.

“Another great benefit of switching to solar energy, and storing it effectively, is that it is now significantly cheaper than running diesel generators, which also means that the consumption of diesel decreases, as does the carbon footprint.”

In addition to saving up to 95% of diesel consumption, 53 t a year of carbon dioxide emissions were saved, added Aquion Energy chief commercial officer Tim Poor.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

The functionality you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION