Hybrid solar commercial project operates for 3rd year in UPS mode
- Jenny Kowalska
- Jan 13, 2023
- 2 min read
Brahman Hills and Windmills kitchen is a popular venue located in the beautiful KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The venue is known for its picturesque views, delicious food, and great service. However, like many areas in South Africa, the venue has been affected by load-shedding and power outages. This has made it difficult for the venue to provide a reliable and consistent service to its customers.
To address this issue, Renu Holdings, leading engineering, and procurement company in South Africa, was brought on board to provide a sustainable energy solution for the venue. Together with equipment supplier Herholdts Group, Renu Holdings implemented a solar project that included a 350kWp PV system, 3 x 110kW Sungrow PV inverters, 1 x 630 kW Sungrow PCS and an 860kWh Solar MD HV battery. The system is controlled by Solar MD's EMSAi, which provides real-time monitoring and control of the energy flows.
After initial issues with the complexity of the project in 2021, The solar project has been a great success for Brahman Hills and the Windmills kitchen. The PV system and battery storage provide the venue with a reliable source of power, and the grid connection allows them to import some of the energy from the grid. The load-shedding protection feature ensures a continuous power supply to the kitchen, providing additional security and reliability. The system also provided significant cost savings for the venue by reducing their reliance on grid-supplied electricity.
In addition to providing a reliable source of power, the solar project has also helped to reduce the venue's carbon footprint. This is in line with the venue's commitment to sustainability, which includes recycling and composting programs, as well as water conservation efforts.
Overall, the solar project at Brahman Hills and Windmills kitchen has been a great success. The venue is now able to provide a reliable and consistent service to its customers, while also reducing its dependence on grid-supplied electricity and reducing its carbon footprint.
It’s impressive to see a hybrid solar commercial project successfully operating in UPS mode for its third year. This kind of achievement shows how renewable energy solutions are not just experimental but practical, reliable, and sustainable in the long run. Running in UPS mode means the system can provide uninterrupted power supply, which is crucial for businesses that can’t afford downtime. The fact that the project has sustained itself for three years highlights both strong engineering and smart management. What’s even more exciting is how technology can further support such projects. For example, some monitoring systems provide mobile apps or APK versions that allow managers to track solar performance, battery health, and energy usage directly from their phones. This combination…