We’re proud to support Astron in overcoming South Africa’s energy challenges. Our specialized solar and backup power systems provide reliable energy during loadshedding and load reduction, ensuring that Astron stations can operate without interruption. This robust solution also helps to mitigate the impact of cable theft and reduces their reliance on the national grid, providing a secure and consistent power supply for their operations and customers.
The challenge
- High Electricity Tariff
- The property was subject to high electricity costs, significantly impacting operational expenses.
- Long Duration Power Outages
- The property experienced frequent and prolonged power outages, which disrupted business operations.
What we built
- Hybrid Solar System
- Royal Power installed a hybrid solar PV system to generate electricity during daylight hours, significantly reducing reliance on the grid. The system is designed to seamlessly switch between solar, battery, and generator power as needed.
- Battery Storage
- The system, installed by Royal Power, includes 16 x 9kWh Sigenergy batteries, providing a total energy storage capacity of 144kWh . This allows the property to store excess solar energy generated during the day to power the property at night.
- Diesel Generator Integration
- The existing 300kW diesel generator was integrated with the solar and battery systems by Royal Power. It is configured to automatically start when battery levels are low, and the grid is unavailable, ensuring continuous power supply.
- AC Coupling
- The 180kW 3-phase Sigenergy Gateway was used to AC couple all components of the system, ensuring efficient and reliable integration of the solar panels, inverters, batteries, and generator.
- Outdoor Installation & Security
- The Sigenergy equipment, including inverters and batteries, is IP66 rated, allowing for outdoor installation with protection against dust and water.
- Health & Safety Protocols
- Due to the high-risk nature of the site, given the flammable nature of petroleum, stringent health and safety protocols were followed during the construction and installation of the system. These protocols ensured the safety of all workers and the integrity of the site throughout the build-out process.
Integration and control
- Seamless Integration
- The hybrid inverters and battery system, installed by Royal Power, were integrated to work in harmony with the solar panels and diesel generator, providing a reliable and continuous power supply. The total inverter capacity of the system is 100kW .
- Monitoring and Control System
- The system’s monitoring and control are managed through the mysiGEN app from Sigenergy, the first system on the market to integrate AI into energy management for SSEG (Small-Scale Embedded Generation) plants. This advanced app ensures optimal performance, enabling real-time monitoring and intelligent decision-making to maximize efficiency and savings.
The results
- Energy Savings
- The system now provides the filling station with 50% of its electricity needs, reducing the energy bill and diesel consumption at the site.
- Uninterrupted Operations
- The combination of solar power, battery storage, and generator backup ensures that the filling station can operate continuously, even during extended power outages.
- Financial Savings
- he reduction in grid electricity usage and optimized generator operation result in substantial savings on operational costs.
- Payback Period
- The reduction in grid electricity usage and optimized generator operation result in substantial savings on operational costs.
- Payback Period
- The investment, facilitated by Royal Power, is projected to have a payback period of around 3.5 years, making it a financially viable and sustainable solution.
System details
- Client
- Astron Oaklands
- Property Type
- Commercial
- System Type
- Hybrid Solar System
- Inverters
- 4 x 25kW 3-phase Sigenergy Hybrid Inverters (Total Inverter Capacity: 100kW )
- Batteries
- 16 x 9kWh Sigenergy Batteries (Total Battery Energy Storage Capacity: 144kWh usable storage)
- Solar Panels
- 160 x 605W LONGi Solar Panels (Total Solar Capacity: 96.8kWp )
- Gateway
- 1 x Sigenergy 180kW 3-phase Gateway for centralised AI control and load management
- Mounting Structure
- Lumax aluminium rail-less mounting brackets, with steel walkways and stainless-steel cable trays for safe, durable rooftop installation
- Security
- Seamless connection to a 300kW backup generator for extended power security.
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