PROPOSED 3.73MW PV SOLAR FACILITY ON FARM 7900, CERES

The proposed system prioritises solar energy from the PV panels to reduce reliance on grid electricity. Excess solar energy is stored in the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The BESS supplies power, acting as a reference for the PV system to continue generating electricity. The load is supplied by a combination of PV and BESS. If the BESS is depleted to a low state of charge, the grid electricity is used to ensure uninterrupted power supply. Should the grid electricity fail, the generator is activated as a last resort.

The Energy Management System (EMS) ensures the coordinated operation of all components. It optimises resource usage by maximizing solar energy, reducing grid reliance, and minimizing diesel generator usage. This helps achieve the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and reduces the environmental impact by limiting diesel consumption.

The proposed PV facility will produce 6.577 GWh annually - 3.73MW can be generated at any one time. The PV Panels will be installed on fix tilt Ground Mount Structures (Figure 1) which will connect to string inverters. The string inverter station then connects via a Medium Voltage (MV) cable to the existing Plantroom Plinth.

An area measuring roughly 4.6ha has been identified for the installation of the solar PV panels. This area is located on the western portion of Farm 7900, Ceres and is access off the R303. The property is located within the urban edge of Ceres and is zoned for Industrial Use.

The larger property contains an existing fruit processing plant, wastewater dams and a plantroom plinth. The plinth houses the BESS, generators and a 23 000l fuel tank. No additional dangerous goods will be stored on site as a result of the proposed development. The BESS and generators are already in operation at the fruit processing plant.