Greytown Children’s Home provides critical care to dozens of vulnerable children in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands area, just outside of Pietermaritzburg, yet the essential facilities that provide the Home with critical services kept battling with constant power cuts, rising electricity costs, and unreliable infrastructure. Their kitchens, study rooms, and essential admin services were frequently interrupted.
We saw an opportunity to deliver more than just solar, so with this project we brought them peace of mind, financial relief, and long-term resilience, with two days left to spare on the delivery schedule.
We engineered and installed a grid-tied 3-phase solar system across three buildings. Each roof now hosts 28 JA Solar 565W panels (total: 84 panels), connected to three Solis 20kW inverters.
Client: Greytown Children’s Home, funded by the Victor Daitz Foundation
Sector: Nonprofit / Childcare
Location: 177 Durban Street, Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal
System Type: Grid-tied, rooftop-mounted solar PV system
Installed Capacity: 47.46 kWp
Key Specs
- Panels: 84 x JA Solar 565W
- Inverters: 3 x Solis 20kW 3-phase grid-tied
- Mounting: Rooftop with structural certification and pre-inspection, structure supplied by Oribi Solar
- Execution Team: Ayanda Mhlongo, Andile, Mandisi, Manqoba, with project assessment by Kobus van Wyk
- Client Support: The Home provided us access to the site, amenities, and signoffs on what we needed to get done
The system was split across three buildings, balancing the load and improving overall system stability. Structural signoff and HSE protocols were followed throughout.
Uninterrupted solar power now keeps Greytown Children’s Home kitchen running, the lights stay on, and the learning environments are stable, so no more scrambling during load-shedding. It’s not just power, it’s security, comfort, and dignity for every child and caregiver.
Project Timeline
- Site Assessment: 7 April 2025
- Completion: 28 April 2025
- Duration: 14 days
- Delivered: 2 days ahead of schedule
This milestone was achieved by strategic resource planning, disciplined labour control, and strong site management.
One of the lessons we learned was that a faulty inverter was discovered during commissioning, fortunately not caused by workmanship but rather a factory error. It was flagged early by our dedicated team on-site, reported to the supplier, and had no impact on delivery while a replacement unit was arranged the same day.
What We Took Forward?
- Mandatory pre-installation hardware checks for all high-value components
- Continued emphasis on logistics and procurement precision
- Recognition for teams that deliver ahead of schedule
Get the Same Results
If your organisation is suffering under unreliable power or budget constraints, let us help you fix it. We design and install solar systems for your business and home that works efficiently, affordably, and on time.
🔗 Book a Free Site Inspection: Email us at info@thulamoya.com or cindy@thulamoya.com
📞 +27 64 627 9610 | +27 31 100 2207
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