- Aptech Africa has commissioned a 26MW solar project in Juba, South Sudan in a project self-financed by Ezra Construction Company.
- The grid-connected system is integrated with a 30MW diesel generation plant and has been completed in two phases, each phase with 13MW.
This power plant is significant because the entire city of Juba, South Sudan, relies on the power generated by the Ezra Power Plant. Prior to the installation of the solar system, there were severe load shading issues caused by maintenance problems with the existing diesel generation system. The diesel generation was unable to meet the demand, and the cost of diesel power generation was higher compared to solar power generation.
Due to the expensive nature of outsourcing diesel for power generation, EZRA came up with a solution to invest in renewable energy in order to reduce the cost of diesel generation. The solar plant now operates in conjunction with an existing 30 MW diesel plant, working together to ensure a reliable and cheaper power supply. During the daytime, approximately 30% of the power generation is sourced from the diesel generators to meet the load demand, while the remaining 70% is provided by the solar system. On average, the solar system has been generating between 90MWh to 120MWh of power per day.
As a result, the 26MWp solar power plant has successfully reduced the energy demand by approximately 40-70% per day, alleviating the load shading issues and providing a more cost-effective alternative to diesel power generation.
This power plant is now benefiting the entire city by reducing power interruptions and lowering the cost of energy per unit for consumers.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
