- Radley Landgoed (farming) in Mpumalanga, South Africa, has commissioned a unique floating solar plant.
- The innovative project features 80% of its solar panels installed on one of the estate’s largest irrigation dams.
With a generation capacity of up to 1.8GWh, it can fully power the estate’s homesteads, support buildings, and staff quarters, providing a crucial off-grid solution. The project is connected through a seven-kilometre network of custom-built pylons.
Mr. Renald Radley, who manages the farm with his brothers, cited loadshedding as a primary reason for transitioning to solar power. The move aims to secure the farm’s 1,900 hectares of land, which includes diverse crops and livestock, against the disruptions caused by power outages.
Image credit: Radley Farm
The placement of solar panels on the irrigation dam offers several benefits: preserving productive land, maintaining optimal irrigation levels, and providing cooling for the panels. The design also facilitates easy maintenance with walkways between the rows of panels.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
