According to the latest Power Availability Statistics, South Africans have experienced more power outages in 2023 than the previous ten years. This has forced companies around the country to search for alternative energy solutions and Rectron, a leading ICT distributor, is no exception. To help effectively manage their power supply, the ICT solutions provider has just taken delivery of the first 1MW battery in Africa.
The escalating cost of diesel, combined with frequent and unpredictable power outages, have forced businesses throughout South Africa to consider renewable energy as their primary source of power. Currently, local companies are forced to run expensive generators to power their operations. Rectron, for example, uses a 600KVA generator to power a 24-hour data centre and security system resulting in additional diesel costs of around R120k per month on average, depending on the level of loadshedding.
In July, electricity minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, announced the government’s support for alternative power solutions for businesses, illustrating their commitment to the expansion of the transmission grid in South Africa. This was supported by the announcement of initiatives like the Bounce Back Loan programme for small business organisations.
Spencer Chen, CEO at Rectron, said “Finding a sustainable and progressive power solution that enabled us to account for our current power needs and save costs in the long-term has been a top priority for our business for some time. Being a pioneer in this field, we have always been willing to invest in South African businesses and this acquisition is proof of that. Hopefully, this can serve as a visible case study for other companies considering similar solutions,” says Chen.
In June, Chen visited the Intersolar exhibition in Germany, where it became clear that Huawei FusionSolar’s 1MW energy storage system was the comprehensive solution the company had been searching for.
“The LUNA2000-1.0MWH1H1 MW energy storage solution for Rectron was the perfect fit. It enables us to maintain seamless operations at our Midrand branch and run our data centre and IT systems for all five of our branches without any downtime. This financial investment in the business will enhance operational efficiency and reduce unnecessary overhead costs.”
Creating a fully connected world:
Huawei is a leading global provider of ICT infrastructure and smart devices. Huawei’s vision is to bring digital accessibility to every person, home, and organisation for a fully connected and intelligent world.
Huawei’s solar business, FusionSolar, integrates the digital technology and string concept into the ESS and pioneers the Smart String ESS solution. The solution uses power electronics technologies to resolve the inconsistency and uncertainty of lithium batteries. The innovative features of pack-level optimisation and rack-level management achieve higher comprehensive energy efficiency and reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) by more than 15% compared with traditional solutions. The four-layer safety design ensures cell safety, electrical safety, mechanical safety, and system safety, as well as the stable operation of the ESS in all aspects.
Fire safety is of the utmost importance to FusionSolar products. This is why the LUNA2000-1.0MWH1H1 MW energy storage solution also features cell level monitoring to prevent thermal runaway in real time. This provides two levels of physical isolation at a system level, and two levels of proactive shutdown by monitoring the software at a battery pack level, ensuring the highest degree of safety.
Huawei has been working with Rectron to introduce this highly relevant solution to the South African market as it’s a crucial enabler for the continuity of organisations’ operations, while allowing the economy the necessary time to cultivate a wide and diverse alternative energy pool.
The solar project is the result of many months of planning and project work. With the arrival of the 1MW battery, the remaining components of the system that support it will now begin. Rectron is expecting the solution to be fully up and running by December. An installed PV plant with a capacity of 416kW solar power will be installed and is expected to generate approximately 600 000kWh of power annually. The company expects an ROI of 4-5 years, depending on the severity of the loadshedding.
Rectron has partnered with Maxim Business Solutions (MBS) who will be managing the project progress and installation. “MBS provides sustainable business solutions for our customers and partners alike. In a strategic move towards growth, our company has forged a partnership with Rectron, as this decision aligns with our business strategy and offerings,” says Orf Oosthuizen CEO at Maxim Business Solutions.
Rectron’s power needs will be prioritised with battery and solar, followed by the grid and as a last resort, a generator. In its pursuit of a more sustainable operation and its goal to achieve carbon neutrality, Rectron aims to reduce its yearly carbon footprint by Factor of 2,7kg of CO2 per litre of diesel burned.
