A Bright Future For Solar Energy In South Africa

Against a backdrop of severe economic pressure and an unreliable base-load power supply, the local uptake of renewable energy is gaining momentum. Henri van Eetveldt, solar and storage consultant at Energy Partners Solar, explains the nuts and bolts of solar energy to Jeandré van der Walt.

- Jeandré van der Walt

What is Energy Partners Solar and how does it assist potential clients interested in renewable energy?

Energy Partners Solar is a fully vertically integrated energy company offering state-of-the-art energy solutions to the commercial and industrial sector.

What is the current trend regarding the adoption of solar as a renewable energy source?

Currently, South Africa is seeing the second wave of renewable energy adoption, and it specifically involves the adoption of solar power. The initial wave was mostly from large property owners in the retail space, but the second wave is centered on agricultural supply chains and the manufacturing sector. An increasing number of businesses in commerce and industry are turning to small-scale embedded solar generation to reduce their operational costs and ensure business continuity.

For local companies battling the harsh economic aftermath of COVID-19 amid the reintroduction of load-shedding, solar power has become imperative to the reliability of their production continuity and cost-efficiency. The result has been the accelerated adoption of sustainable energy.

Are certain industries better suited to solar energy?

Industries that have high energy usage all year round are the most suitable for solar power. Examples are manufacturing, refrigeration (cold storage) and retail. Industries with seasonal energy usage profiles, such as citrus or grape fruit, can still benefit from solar power by taking advantage of feedback tariffs or energy banking.

Which agricultural industries can benefit the most from solar energy?