Why commercial companies need solar power suppliers who understand their industry

Charl Du Plessis

It is expected that Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generation power will be the fastest growing renewable technology by 2022, and recent years have seen many countries increasing their reliance on PV generation for their power grids.

According to Charl du Plessis, Head of Project Development at Energy Partners Commercial Solar, a division of Energy Partners and part of the PSG group of companies, PV generation has also witnessed exponential growth in the private sector, with industries ranging from manufacturing, retail, mining and fast moving consumer goods, to agriculture adopting solar energy at an increasing rate.

“The cost of PV systems has reduced significantly in the last six months. In addition, the cost of grid-based power continues to rise in South Africa, which is why we have seen interest from companies in increasingly diverse industries to provide PV generation solutions. We have even been approached by companies in areas like KwaZulu Natal (which has the lowest sunlight exposure in the country) because shrinking costs are making PV generation much more viable everywhere. While this is certainly good for the commercial solar industry in general, we are also increasingly seeing that it takes service providers with an intimate understanding of their clients’ industries and operations, to provide truly effective PV solutions.”

Du Plessis explains that each industry has unique requirements and challenges for PV generation, which need to be taken into account in the engineering, design and construction of these systems to minimise risk and optimise returns. Ensuring that the entire system runs as efficiently as possible, and that all of the components reach their maximum life span comes down to paying attention to every detail and making sure that every challenge is anticipated and solved.”

He points out that the retail industry, as an example, usually requires rooftop installations. “Shopping malls are increasingly investing in PV systems, and for these types of clients it is crucial that the service provider is able to guarantee that the building’s roof is not damaged in any way. This includes conducing the necessary due diligence to ensure that the roof can hold the weight of the system, using high quality and approved mounting brackets, and installing sturdy walkways to allow maintenance crews access to the entire system without affecting the roof. Inexperienced service providers can often overlook small mistakes that end up causing bigger problems for the property owner down the line. “

The agricultural industry has also seen a rise in solar generation, and Du Plessis notes that monitoring maintenance and component life span are all challenges that need to be addressed. “Monitoring and regular maintenance can be challenging, since farms are usually quite far removed from major hubs.  In this instance it is necessary to make sure that the service provider has advanced online monitoring tools and wireless communication set up to provide troubleshoot assistance remotely, and that local maintenance crews are trained to reduce costs.”

For applications in seasonal industries, on the other hand, more clients are moving towards micro-grid solutions. “Operations with significant overnight loads, prefer PV systems with energy storage capabilities. Many of these operations operate day and night during their peak seasons only. This means that the service provider needs to be able to provide the best quality energy storage solutions to the client, be able to design a system that suits the client’s specific operation, and have a presence near the client’s location in order to conduct scheduled and unscheduled maintenance whenever necessary.”

He adds that expansions in this sector often opt for hybrid diesel integration with solar to provide the necessary additional electrical capacity as a cost-effective and rapid deployable alternative to expensive and delayed grid upgrades.

With this in mind, Du Plessis says that businesses that decide to invest in solar PV systems, should start by consulting a service provider with a proven track record in their specific industry. “The service provider needs to be confident that it can provide optimal service for a client in that industry and has to be willing to provide guarantees on their systems, once installed. Opting to partner with a provider that does not know your business, significantly increases the risk that the system will come up against a potentially costly issue that was not anticipated or even worse, underperforms.”

He adds that technology companies who provide a full service from system design to installation and ongoing maintenance, offer the most cost effective results in the vast majority of circumstances.

“In the case of Energy Partners Solar, we design optimal systems and solutions, provide the best quality hardware, personally provide the installation, and offer maintenance contracts for the entire life-cycle of the systems with guaranteed performance.”

Du Plessis says that Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with solar energy suppliers have proven to be a much simpler solution for many businesses, and are increasingly gaining traction across all sectors.

“Solar energy is becoming more advanced and increasingly viable for every sector of industry in South Africa. However, when purchasing the technology, and installing the systems, not relying on a service provider with experience in the client’s industry could still undo any potential cost savings,” Du Plessis concludes.