Electricity and Control August 2020

ENERGY MANAGEMENT + THE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT

Equatorial Power brings together a consolidated team with a strong track record in renewable energy and access to energy projects. The team has pio- neered off-grid electrification and its productive use in the region and continues on this path, with an in- novative business model focused around filling the agro-processing value gap across rural Africa and projects lined up in Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC. Its solution entails a holistic approach where the de- livery of productive energy is coupled with water pu- rification and agro-processing services. Riccardo Ridolfi, CEO of Equatorial Power, adds, “We are glad to work with SustainSolar for this complex pro- ject at such a difficult time. SustainSolar is a reliable and trusted equipment integrator, and could become a great partner for mini-grid rollout in the region. We have already signed for another mini-grid system in Uganda. This is an innovative project to be announced soon.” ground-mounted panel arrays are included inside the con- tainer, together with the solar modules, tools, cables and everything required to install the system within two to three days from arrival. John Fadiran, Project Engineer at SustainSolar says, “We are excited to support Equatorial Power on this project on Idjwi Island. It has a number of challenges waiting for us. Even under normal non-Covid circumstances, managing the shipping of a 20-foot container to an island in eastern DRC is a demanding task. In the current situation, as we are facing a few more stumbling blocks with a minimum of five border crossings, we will focus even more on managing our delivery task.” With four systems deployed across the continent to date, SustainSolar’s standardised approach competes with traditional step-by-step solar system installation, which of- ten takes longer, requires more complex project manage- ment and carries higher implementation and budget risks. Serving a wide range of needs, including rural electrifica- tion, commercial and industrial, off-grid and mobile rapid deployment, SustainSolar offers developers a service that reduces their implementation risk and alleviates operational hassles such as sourcing, logistics and commissioning. Tobias Hobbach, Managing Director of SustainSolar fur- ther highlights, “We see ourselves as a trusted partner of mini-grid developers like Equatorial Power. Our aim is to help them get the electrification job done faster and lim- it their headaches so they can focus on developing more projects and refining business models, while we take care of design, build and delivery of a standardised solar power generation package.”

At a glance 

This second mini-grid development will connect an industrial hub and supplementary systems to support growth of agricultural value chains.  SustainSolar offers mini-grid developers a service that reduces implementation risk and simplifies sourcing, logistics and commissioning.

Launched in 2018, SustainSolar is based in Cape Town where it designs and manufactures its containerised power generation equipment. The company strives to respond to the needs of emerging markets with clean, turnkey technology suited to various applications that require a decentralised and dependable power supply. Its containerised, pre-installed solar systems are equipped with top- quality solar PV modules and electronics, including lithium-ion batteries and are available in three standardised yet adjustable product configurations, from small to large, to suit a range of energy needs. With growing activities, a good presence on the African continent, an expanding network of partners and the implementation of new projects, SustainSolar is recognised as an equipment supplier for mini-grid, off-grid, hybrid fuel-saving as well as mobile and rapid deployment solar applications. After completing three projects across South Sudan and Malawi and with another two projects in the pipeline in the DRC and Uganda, SustainSolar is now looking to expanding its scope to West Africa with a focus on French- speaking countries. □ SustainSolar offers a turnkey solution in containerised off-grid solar-battery power systems to support mini-grid developers across Africa.

For more information visit: https://sustainsolar.co.za

For more information visit: http://equatorial-power.com

Electricity + Control AUGUST 2020

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