2. Location
Garden City, Nairobi, Kenya
Size
858kWp
Annual generation
1250MWh
Lifetime CO2 savings
6,250 tonnes
Africa’s largest car port solar system
In 2015 Solarcentury designed and constructed Africa’s largest solar carport
on the uppermost storey of a car park at Garden City Mall – part of a 32-acre
integrated residential, retail park, hotel and office development on Nairobi’s
Thika Superhighway.
It’s the second largest photovoltaic (PV) system in Kenya, and Solarcentury East
Africa’s third project here.
As well as providing 454 parking spaces and 6,000 m2 of car park shade, the
3,364 solar panels on the carports will generate 1250 MWh of clean solar
electricity per year. If it were used to boil kettles, it would be enough to make
over 80 million cups of tea – that’s two cups for every Kenyan in the country.
This solar electricity is used by Garden City’s retail tenants – over 120 major local
and international retail brands, many of them opening their flagship stores in
Kenya for the first time. The 858kWp system will also cut carbon emissions by
around 250 tonnes a year1, so there is a clear environmental benefit.
The PV system uses highly innovative dual-mode technology. It provides solar
energy in the daytime, meaning less is used from the grid, and when the grid
is down it automatically switches over to provide power together with back-up
generators. Essentially, the system is able to operate in either mode.
The project used a solar framing product from local supplier Booth Aluminium,
designed by Solarcentury and the first manufactured by the company.
Garden City has won the prestigious LEED certification and is the first mixed-
used development in East Africa to do so. LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) is a green building certification program that recognizes
best-in-class building strategies and practices, developed by the US Green
Building Council, a non-profit organisation based in Washington DC.
Garden City is an example of how investment in
regional infrastructure can bring lasting value.
Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero, speaking at the
ground-breaking ceremony for Garden City in 2013
3. Why did Garden City’s
investors choose solar?
Investment company Actis wanted to take a ‘green-by-
design’ approach, incorporating sustainability measures
from the very beginning of the design process. Solar was
a natural choice; solar production worldwide is doubling
every two years, while the cost has dropped 100 times
in the last 40 years. The International Energy Agency
predicts that by 2050 solar will be the number one
producer of electricity in the world.
Economists say that growth in many African countries
continues to be held back by a dearth of electricity.
Routine blackouts cost the continent as much as 4% of
GDP, according to the African Development Bank, while
total African power generation per capita is as little as
a tenth of some other developing regions such as
South America.
Despite the perception that solar is mainly for poorer
communities living without access to grid energy, it can
also be used where there is a grid – in fact over 90% of
the world’s solar electricity systems are connected to
the grid.
In fact, solar is perfect for dense urban environments like
the populous city of Nairobi. Solar power technology can
use otherwise redundant rooftops and provide power at
the point of use – and in some cases improve the look
of a building or provide another function like shade. In
particular, Solarcentury’s dual-mode technology system
delivers better economic returns by reducing the load on
standby generators during power outages.
How much could you be paying for electricity?
In Kenya, the cost of diesel is around US $1 per litre (fuel costs per kWh of diesel-generated power can exceed US $0.40
per kWh). The cost of grid power for businesses is $0.20 per kWh.
In comparison, the cost of power from a solar PV system is generally $0.10-0.15/kWh, depending on finance costs and
radiation. Adding a solar PV system to the local network to offset diesel and grid consumption will significantly reduce
overall energy bills for Garden City. Cost of energy is the most significant business expense, so there is great potential
to boost profits and give a competitive advantage.
The payback on a solar investment can be as
soon as 5 years. The solar panels have a 25-year
warranty and an even longer expected lifetime,
so solar is an attractive long-term investment.
Many businesses worldwide have invested in
solar themselves and have benefited from lower
operating costs. However, some businesses
prefer to use one of the various finance options
that are available. This includes lease finance
such as the Solar4Africa offer or Power Purchase
Agreements (PPA).
Solarcentury can offer a PPA finance solution
whereby a client can benefit from cheaper solar
power without the upfront investment. The
client purchases the power generated from
a solar system installed on their roof or the
ground, and receives fixed price power for
25 years – after which they own the system.
The hybrid system provided by Solarcentury ensures that we primarily use
solar power that’s abundant in the region for electrical needs, ensuring
consistent supply thus cost reduction on expensive diesel generators and grid
consumption. It’s therefore not only better for the environment, but better for
the bank balance of Garden City.”
Elizabeth Wangeci Chege,
CEO and Co-Founder of Web Limited, sustainable consultants for Garden City
Garden City is a highly energy-efficient development that will be
a genuine mixed-use community and an enduring landmark that
the residents of Nairobi and the region can be proud of.
Koome Gikunda,
Investment Principal, Actis
4. Project timeline
Solarcentury was first on site in May 2014 and had
the system oparting in July 2015.
The official launch took place in September 2015.
“Solar is perfect for urban areas where land is
at a premium yet energy needs to be supplied
near to demand, and it integrates easily with
the dense power networks. Installing the
panels on the roof of a car park makes use
of otherwise functionless roof space, serving
the dual purpose of providing shade and
generating power at the same time.
Guy Lawrence,
Director for Solarcentury in East Africa
February-May 2014:
May 2014:
June 2014:
30 July 2014:
January 2015:
February-March 2015:
March 2015:
April 2015 :
July 2015:
July-September 2015:
September 2015 :
Pre-contract design work by Solarcentury
Installing the conduit in the slab by the electrical contractor
Plinths cast in place by the main contractor Sino Hydro
Solarcentury EPC contracts signed
Goods begin to arrive on site
Layout and framework installation
Electrical cable installation
First panel installed
System operating
Commissioning
Handover
5. Solar hybrid technology
Dan Davies, Director,
Hybrid Power Systems
Solarcentury is one of the most respected solar companies in the world. Founded in
1998, it has been around since the early days of the solar industry and has been part
of the evolution that has made PV the attractive investment it is today. Solarcentury
has put solar on a greater variety of sites than any other company in the industry,
including the world’s largest solar bridge in London, Blackfriars, winning multiple
awards for its project and product innovation.
We are excited about the opportunity to work with the various renewable energy
stakeholders in Kenya. We have worked with the Kenya Renewable Energy
Association on the initial draft on a set of Kenyan PV Installation Guidelines. The
Kenyan Association of Manufacturers is now developing this with the assistance of UK
Department for International Development.
The development of standards for training and regulation of suppliers and installers is
key to building a safe and reliable solar industry; this has been recognised by Kenya’s
energy regulator the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) which has imposed a
requirement for those companies selling and installing solar systems to be licensed.
Solarcentury is proud to have completed this registration process and carries the ERC
C1 Licence.
Here at Garden City, Solarcentury was involved in the solar project from the outset.
We worked with the design team to assess a number of options for solar power at the
mall and were then engaged to do the detailed design. Once construction started,
we supported the shopping mall contractor to make sure that the site was ready to
have solar installed; when they reached roof level, we then carried out the system
installation with a team of international and local contractors.
Solarcentury’s business is global and growing, with our headquarters in London UK
and offices in Germany, The Netherlands, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Latin
American countries.
Solarcentury East Africa is based in Nairobi and headed up by Guy Lawrence.
Guy has worked in Kenya for many years and has a team of local engineers and
project managers. Solarcentury East Africa is fully accredited by the Kenyan Energy
Regulatory Commission and has three T3 solar technicians in the team.
About Solarcentury
Solar working in parallel with the grid or diesel:
New control strategies enable large solar PV systems, such as the one at Garden City,
to be operated in parallel with diesel generators, which act as a back-up power source
for when the sun isn’t shining. This kind of system, seen here, is known as a hybrid PV
system.
Operating solar PV systems alongside diesel generators presents a number of
challenges including ensuring a stable power supply with the solar PV operating in
parallel with the generator, and ensuring the generator never runs below 35% part
load, which can damage the machinery. The hybrid technology means that solar PV
systems can run alongside diesel generators without the need for expensive batteries.
The control system manages the output from the solar PV system to ensure that the
diesel generator operates at a minimum, and also so that the diesel generator can be
deployed if loads rapidly increase or if clouds momentarily reduce the solar output.
One of the most common hybrid applications is where solar PV is being used to
reduce the off-take from the public grid in places with expensive and intermittent
power, and then to use the same system to work in parallel with the standby
generators. This reduces fuel consumption without removing the essential back-up
of the diesel generator for night-time operation or when
the sun is not shining. Where local utilities do not allow
reverse power flow into the distribution network, the control
system can be used to switch off the inverters when reverse
power flow is about to happen.
6. Find out more
Call
+254 (0)705 957684
Email
internationalenquiries@solarcentury.com
Visit
www.solarcentury.com
Solarcentury is in business for a purpose
to make a big difference in the fight against climate
change through widespread adoption of solar power.
We are a big believer in helping solar change our world
for the better, and we contribute 5% of our net profits
every year to SolarAid, the charity we founded, which
aims to eradicate kerosene lamps from Africa by 2020.
SCK007-0514
Solarcentury East Africa Ltd,
Marula Manor, Marula Lane, Karen,
Nairobi, Kenya
PO Box 15097,
00509,
Nairobi, Kenya
Registered in Kenya no. CPR/2013/109535
