Case Study

Joubert En Seuns

Overview

Joubert en Seuns is a well-established farming operation based in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Over the years, the brother duo, Kobus and Francois Joubert have turned their father’s vegetable and maize farm into a large-scale citrus production and packing business. They now export in excess of 9 000 tons of produce to the northern hemisphere each year.

Complementary to the farming business, Joubert en Seuns operate a much loved farm stall on the arterial road connecting Mpumalanga and Gauteng. This popular stop for tourists and business travelers in the area is on the same property as the packing warehouse in Schoemanskloof.

Objective

Joubert en Seuns approached New Southern Energy with the objective of considering solar power as a way to increase their energy independence while reducing operating costs. This would be their first move to solar energy.

Solar Solution

A grid-tied solar plant was designed and constructed for Joubert en Seuns. The solar system generates renewable power by harnessing solar energy from the sun and converting it to usable AC power. A grid-tied system is one that remains connected to the electrical grid.
Such a system generates power for the property and it feeds any excess power it generates back into the grid.

The warehouse roof had sections of clear roof sheeting that needed to be left unobstructed to allow light to pass through. Hence the use of small groups of panels between the clear sections. The farmstall section was specifically tilted in order to maximise visibility of the panels from the busy Schoemanskloof road.

The solar PV system consists of a 266kWp roof-mounted solar farm, made up of two separate project elements. 807 x 330Wp Canadian Solar panels make up the total system. 768 panels were mounted in a large flat section on the warehouse roof. 39 Panels were mounted on the farmstall roof for visibility, which also still contributes to the overall renewable energy share.

This system is a 266kWp grid-tied system. The energy produced by the PV system is “injected” into the client electricity network at three different points. This is significantly unique for a system of this size.

Team

Business Development Manager
Mike Pritchard
Project Manager
De Wet Taljaard
Asset Manager
Andrew Jackson

Results

Installation of the solar system started on 15 May 2019 and took 45 days to complete, with go live taking place on 28 June 2019. This system enables Joubert en Seuns a savings of up to 55% on their electricity bill.
Approximately R 300 000 has been saved since the installation.
Would be their first move to solar energy.