Project Background
A boarding school in Zimbabwe needed dependable power for classrooms, dormitories, kitchens and computer labs. Commissioned in March 2024, this 100 kW off-grid system replaced a diesel generator whose fuel and maintenance costs were consuming the school’s budget.
The Challenge
Power cuts were disrupting evening study, and the school’s remote location made diesel deliveries expensive and unreliable. The system also had to carry the campus through the rainy season, when solar output drops but classes continue regardless.
Our Solution
Ground-mounted TOPCon arrays charge a LiFePO4 battery bank through high-efficiency MPPT controllers, while three-phase IGBT inverters deliver stable 380V power across the campus. The battery bank is deliberately sized for cloudy-day autonomy, and the ground racking – the same family we supply as a product – allows easy cleaning and grass maintenance.
Results & Benefits
- Diesel use down to occasional backup – fuel deliveries no longer dictate the school calendar.
- Reliable evening lighting and computer access for students every night of the term.
- Classes continue through the rainy season thanks to autonomy-sized storage.
- Demonstrated payback – institutional solar returns fastest exactly where diesel was the only alternative.
