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GOING SOLAR

Posted on: December 16, 2016, in Latest News

Our sustainability program continues to progress as we implemented our own solar farm. South Africa is “well endowed” in terms of it’s solar resource as we have one of the highest average solar irradiance levels in the world.
The site was carefully selected to ensure that the photovoltaic (PV) panels perform as close to their specified capacity as possible. Our next target is to increase our storage of the solar energy, as well as a separate thermal energy system to meet the needs of our huge water-heating bill.
The solar plant incorporated the following:

• 720 ARTSolar multicrystalline PV modules
• 9 x SMA Tripower Inverters
• 4 x 100kVA Transformers
• 4,5km of cable
• 440 Gum-poles
• 200 Balau trusses
• 1.5km of aluminium solar rails
• 1 x Inverter room (12m x 2m)
• 30 x Local employees for the duration of construction
• Every item was carried by hand to the top of the hill, as vehicle access was not possible.

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