Location: Vaalbank, Middelburg, Mpumalanga
Project Type: Ground-mounted Solar PV System with Genset Integration
System Size: 171 kWp
Project Timeline:
Start Date: 14 October 2024
Completion Date: 13 November 2024
Adopting solar PV presents a powerful opportunity for South African businesses to reduce electricity costs by approximately 15%. With the system paying for itself within 3 to 12 years, companies can enjoy up to 15 years of free energy thereafter. The solar market experienced impressive growth in 2019, with the total installed capacity reaching an estimated range of 850MWp to 1GWp. In that same year, rooftop solar PV installations accounted for between 250MWp and 400MWp, highlighting the increasing trend toward renewable energy adoption.
Project Overview
Bakkos Projects (Pty) Ltd, a forward-thinking business in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, sought an energy solution to mitigate rising electricity costs and reduce dependence on South Africa’s unstable power grid. Thula Moya Energy provided a tailored, high-performance solar PV system to meet these objectives while ensuring maximum savings and operational reliability.
Location: Vaalbank, Middleburg, Mpumalanga Groundmounted Solar PV System with GenSet Integration Project Duration: 14 October 2024 – 13 November 2024 (1 Month)
Thula Moya Energy followed a structured approach in all projects, ensuring thorough planning and seamless execution:
1. Feasibility Analysis
We initiated the project with a 12-month electricity bill and demand analysis, followed by Eskom interval readings to determine the client’s daily load profile.
2. Due Diligence
A site visit, structural assessments, and financial credit checks were conducted.
3. Final Proposal
A customised solution was presented, aligning with Bakkos Project’s financial and energy needs.
4. Engineering & Procurement
Once the contract was finalized, system components were procured, and Eskom’s Small-Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) registration began.
5. Construction & Installation
The ground-mounted system was installed in a newly fenced-off area for security and insurance compliance.
6. Commissioning & Compliance
The system was assessed, verified, and handed over with all compliance certifications, including SANS 10142-1.
Challenges & Innovative Solutions
Designing a 171 kWp system within limited space required meticulous planning and structural engineering expertise. As Thula Moya Energy’s first ground-mounted installation, valuable insights were gained to refine future projects. The client’s site could only be powered down one day per month (on a Sunday), requiring precise scheduling to execute critical connections efficiently.
Despite being allocated 115 days for completion, Thula Moya Energy delivered the project in just 45 days, demonstrating our commitment to speed and quality.
Energy Breakdown
The solar installation at Bakkos Projects has made a real difference in cutting down their reliance on grid power, delivering a steady stream of clean energy despite seasonal ups and downs. Some days, the system generated more electricity than the site needed, feeding the surplus back into the grid, which is an added bonus that reduced dependence on external supply and also opened the door for potential cost savings through feed-in tariffs.
Even with its strong solar output, the industrial park’s energy demand remained high and unpredictable, making it clear that a mix of power sources is still necessary. That said, the solar system took a major load off electricity costs, allowing the business to operate more efficiently while keeping expenses down.
At the end of the day, the installation is doing exactly what it was designed to do, which is to cut costs, improve sustainability, and boost energy security. As the system continues to run it drives even greater savings and energy independence in the long run.
A seamless solar EPC installation means delivering reliable, cost-effective energy for South African businesses from start to finish.
At Bakkos Projects, the solar system made a noticeable dent in energy costs over January and February 2025, but it wasn’t enough to eliminate reliance on grid power. While the system consistently generated clean electricity, the site’s overall consumption remained higher than what the panels could produce, meaning a significant portion still had to be purchased from the grid.
Grid dependence was still a major factor for the site while the data suggests that the solar installation still played a valuable role in cutting costs and improving sustainability. Expanding capacity for this site could push the project further towards true energy independence.
Precision in project management and strict adherence to timelines are the backbone of every successful solar installation. From engineering to commissioning, we orchestrate every phase with meticulous planning, ensuring on-time delivery, budget control, and peak system performance.
The Future of Energy in South Africa
The future of South Africa’s energy landscape lies in localised power generation and private investment, reducing dependency on Eskom’s fragile grid. By providing businesses with cost-effective, reliable solar solutions, Thula Moya Energy is driving the country’s energy transformation, and we want to partner with you!
Choose Thula Moya Energy and secure a more stable, cost-efficient, and sustainable energy solution today.
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