- Decentral Energy, Blockpower, and Alley Roads have commissioned a fully off-grid 828 kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) installation with a 2 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at Illovo Country Estate, a 240-unit affordable housing development in Illovo, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
This comprehensive energy solution, financed by Decentral Energy, designed and built by Blockpower, integrates seamlessly into Alley Roads’ innovative housing model. It has enabled the estate to go fully off grid, providing clean, uninterrupted power to residents and eliminating dependence on the increasingly unstable and carbon intensive local grid.
A mix of rooftop, carport, and ground-mounted solar panels provides the estate’s full daily energy requirements, while Blockpower’s pioneering load management and metering technology ensures that stored solar energy is efficiently used to provide 24/7 electricity – even during cloudy days or at night.
Related news: GoodWe launches ecosmart energy storage solutions for residential and commercial applications at Intersolar
Residents now enjoy consistent power for lighting, appliances, and daily needs – with no exposure to load shedding or outages and significantly reducing their carbon emissions. The estate stands as a benchmark for sustainable residential development in South Africa and a replicable model for energy-secure affordable housing nationwide.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
