The Williamson Tea farm has unveiled a 1MWp solar PV project at its Changoi Tea Farm in Bomet County, Western Kenya.
The initiative, dubbed East Africa's largest solar project, will cut Williamson Tea's energy costs by 30%, supplying clean solar electricity during the daytime to meet most of the tea processing factory's energy demand. Williamson Tea's system will reduce the need for grid electricity and the consumption of diesel when back?up energy production is required.
Williamson Tea has over 140 years' experience in the art of growing, selecting and blending fine teas. When the national grid is working, Williamson Tea's solar farm will work in parallel with it and reduce the amount of grid electricity imported. When the grid is down, the solar power system will work with the standby diesel generators, significantly reducing the amount of diesel consumed.
"We applaud Williamson Tea for investing in solar to support the company's sustainable business growth. In a country blessed with plentiful irradiance and land space, solar is a perfect solution and reduces dependence on fossil fuels while improving energy security," says Dan Davies, director for Solarcentury in East Africa.
British solar energy company Solarcentury was selected as the lead designer, supplier and installer of the unique PV system, and is also responsible for the operation and maintenance. Solarcentury is committed to bringing the many benefits of solar to Kenya. Solarcentury's 15 years' experience and engineering excellence is being invested in Kenya through its Nairobi office, headed up by Davies, one of Solarcentury's founders.
According to Frans van den Heuvel, Solarcentury CEO, Williamson Tea's solar farm in Changoi is a shining example of the opportunity for solar in Africa, and indeed the emerging markets, to help meet the increasing energy demands of growing economies.
He notes that sustainable energy sources are becoming more critical especially as the cost of fossil fuel energy continues to rise globally.
"By choosing solar, Williamson Tea is not only investing in the company's sustainable future but also local people and the future of the tea farming industry in Kenya."
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