The implementation of a solar photovoltaic (PV) energy production system on the site is among the first renewable energy initiatives in the retail fuel sector. Joe Mahlo, Engen's general manager of Sales & Marketing, said that this initiative is in line with the company's drive to reduce its environmental impact and the national climate change response strategy.
"We believe that it is our duty to reduce our carbon footprint. With the largest network of service stations in the country, we saw it as a good opportunity to further reduce our GHG emissions. South Africa produces most of its electricity by burning coal, so the less power we consume from the grid, the better to protect the environment from harmful emissions, reduce outages and rein in the depletion of natural resources," continued Mahlo.
The Engen All Africa building rooftop and canopy were identified for harnessing solar energy. "These roofs are out in the open and not overshadowed by other buildings or trees, making them an ideal solar PV platform," said Russ Gittleson, CEO of LED lighting and renewable energy specialist Light Kinetics.
Once installed, the solar PV panels are designed to be maintenance free, apart from occasional cleaning. To minimise dust accumulation, the panels are affixed, where possible at a slope, to benefit from the self-cleaning action of seasonal rain.
Mahlo confirmed that the entire site's daytime energy needs will be met by the new solar PV installation - including fuel pumps, LED lighting, chiller machines, coffee machines, refrigeration, ovens, computer systems, compressors and more.
"The idea is to use solar energy during the day and revert to the national grid at night and during inclement weather conditions. This allows us the ability to save energy and to take pressure off the grid. The effective drop in energy consumption on a typical Engen site with the new solar PV system installed is about 80,000kW/hours per year, even taking into account varying annual weather conditions," he said.
The Engen solar PV installations can be grid-tied, allowing the energy generated on site to be remotely managed and, if needed, reallocated elsewhere by feeding excess energy back into the Eskom grid. This has the potential of making Engen's retail network a 'net-zero' energy operation.
Gittleson explained that excess energy from 'grid-tied' solar PV solutions can also be redirected to charge on-site batteries, allowing the daytime energy to be stored and used to power Engen's LED lighting or other systems at night. Unfortunately, feedback into the Eskom grid in Johannesburg is currently not permitted.
