American multinational conglomerate, General Electric (GE) and Singaporean conglomerate, Tolaram Group will collaborate to see the first African installation of GE’s solar hybrid technology at the Northern Noodles Factory in Kaduna, Nigeria later this year.
[quote font=”georgia” font_size=”22″ font_style=”italic” align=”left” bgcolor=”#” color=”#” bcolor=”#” arrow=”yes”]According to GE, adding this 382.8 kW kilowatt solar hybrid system will reduce the rate of diesel consumption at the plant site thereby drastically reducing the customer’s opex, while also reducing emissions from the diesel operation. GE says it expects the plant to achieve an annual 18% reduction in both costs and emissions.[/quote]The state of the art manufacturing facility is run by Dufil Prima Foods, a subsidiary of the Tolaram Group.
GE is installing a photovoltaic (solar PV) renewable energy plant which will integrate the company’s existing diesel generating system which it has been using since it was built in 2012 for a 24/7 uninterrupted power supply.
According to GE, adding this 382.8 kW kilowatt solar hybrid system will reduce the rate of diesel consumption at the plant site thereby drastically reducing the customer’s opex, while also reducing emissions from the diesel operation. GE says it expects the plant to achieve an annual 18% reduction in both costs and emissions.
“This installation is an example of what’s possible for solar technology on a smaller commercial scale,” Jeff Wyatt, general manager of GE’s solar and energy storage business says.
“In many regions where there is no grid or power from the utility grid is unreliable or expensive, manufacturers need a reliable, integrated solution they can count on. The economics of PV hybrid are attractive,” he said.
The electronic controller integrates an electric battery system that stores solar power during the day for use at night, extending the use of solar power beyond daylight hours and bringing about further savings.
“Tolaram strives to be an early adopter of advanced technology, and solar energy looks extremely promising. Our goal is to reduce our carbon footprint and create sustainable industrial growth,” Sajen Aswani, CEO of Tolaram Group, explained.
Two more Tolaram sites, in Lagos, received solar PV systems that can switch automatically between three power sources – solar, diesel generator and grid electricity to achieve maximum fuel and cost savings. These pilot sites, sponsored by GE Ventures Licensing, are designed to test new business and technology models focused on small commercial solar customers in Africa.