Harare / Zimbabwe, November 22, 2018 – IBC SOLAR South Africa, subsidiary of the German system provider for photovoltaics (PV) and energy storage, has supplied and commissioned a 194 kilowatt peak system with battery storage in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. The flagship project was ordered by the Standard Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ), that will be using the PV system to provide an uninterrupted, environmentally friendly power supply to its central administration building.
The installed system allows the Standard Association of Zimbabwe, a non-profit organisation, to supply its own energy needs through solar power. The photovoltaic plant has a nominal capacity of 194 kWp and is connected to a battery storage unit with a usable capacity of 200 kWh. Approximately 720 IBC PolySol 270 Wp polycrystalline solar modules will be producing around 300,000 kWh of solar energy per year, which is calculated to meet 75 % of the building’s energy needs. The additional battery storage unit will ensure that the SAZ administrative building can access power even in the event of a blackout or in times of low solar irradiation. The system will save 270 tonnes of CO2 annually, helping protect the climate and the environment.
The PV plant was planned and installed as a collaborative project between Cool Solar, an IBC SOLAR Premium Partner based in Harare, and RED Engineering from neighbouring South Africa with products supplied by IBC SOLAR. Technical experts from IBC SOLAR Germany and South Africa contributed additional technical support. Rather than putting solar modules on the roof of the SAZ building, the PV professionals chose to construct two carports in the staff parking area and installing the modules there. The new system significantly improves SAZ’s energy supply security. Computers, printers, lights, air conditioners and refrigeration units now have a reliable source of energy and can be disconnected from the unstable public power grid and protected against grid power surges.
Energy shortages are a massive problem in Zimbabwe, multiple outages per day are a common occurrence. Most of the country’s power is generated by burning wood and coal, with renewable energies playing only a minor role — solar power represents a mere one percent of Zimbabwe’s energy supply. Considering how much sun the country enjoys, it seems logical to expand the usage of photovoltaics there as much as possible, in order to electrify remote areas and help stabilise power supplies in urban agglomeration. Feeding solar power into the poorly developed public power grid is not permitted, so self-consumption systems would be the method of choice. The government is indirectly promoting solar energy’s expansion by exempting imported PV components from customs duties.
About IBC SOLAR
IBC SOLAR is a leading global provider of photovoltaic and energy storage solutions and services. The company offers complete systems and covers the entire product range from planning to the turnkey handover of photovoltaic systems. The product range comprises solar parks, self-consumption systems for commercial enterprises and private households, off-grid photovoltaic systems and diesel hybrid solutions. As a project developer and general contractor, IBC SOLAR implements and markets major solar projects worldwide. The manufacturer-independent system house guarantees the highest quality for all projects and has currently implemented photovoltaic systems with an output of over 3 gigawatts worldwide. IBC SOLAR works with a close network of Premium Partners and supports them with their own software tools for planning and designing grid-connected systems including storage systems. IBC SOLAR offers customised packages for energy providers, municipal utilities and providers of photovoltaic solutions. The company ensure the best possible output of solar parks through technical management and monitoring.
IBC SOLAR was founded by Udo Möhrstedt in Bad Staffelstein in 1982 who has managed the company as the Chairman of the Executive Board to date. The system house is a pioneer of the energy turnaround in Germany and is especially committed to energy cooperatives with its own planned public solar parks. The company is active internationally with numerous regional companies, sales offices and partner companies in more than 30 countries.
Media contact:
IBC SOLAR AG
Iris Meyer (Press Officer)
Am Hochgericht 10
DE-96231 Bad Staffelstein, Germany
Tel.: +49 9573 / 92 24 782
presse@ibc-solar.de