News Article
Talesun enters Southern African Market
Talesun Solar, a leading manufacturer of high quality solar modules and cells is increasing its global commitment and intensifying its activities in the Southern African market. Behind the move is the high potential for both rooftop and large-scale solar installations in the region.
Talesun places great importance in the Southern African market and plans to expand its global activities in terms of both sales capacity and service. The increasing demand for energy in the larger African economies lies behind the company's strategy. The major proportion of the activities will be overseen by Talesun's EMEA base in Munich, in close coordination with local partners and companies. The aim is to increase the company's business activities and South Africa is seen as the springboard for the wider sub-Saharan Africa.
"Current figures from the Pew Charitable Trust show that South Africa has made huge strides in renewable energy provision", explains Arthur Chien, Vice President and CEO at Talesun Solar. "In recent years the financing volumes for sustainable energy projects have risen from 20 million to the current five billion US Dollars per year. South Africa is now in ninth place on the Pew Eco-Rankings, underlining its significance as an important lead market for photovoltaic installations
in Africa."
Since 2011, the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Program (REIPPP) has been in place in the country. It offers the possibility of grid-connection for solar-generated electricity for large installations with a capacity between one and 75 MW. Cape Verde's aim is to install
some 1,450 MW capacity by 2016. In the country's expanded energy plans, the proportion of electricity generated by photovoltaic technology should rise to 8,400 MW by 2030, according to the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). In line with this goal, the construction of large-scale solar power plants stands at the top of the agenda.
Arthur Chien continues: "As a financially strong company, we see ourselves as being perfectly placed to meet the challenges of the Southern African market. On the one hand, we have high quality modules that are extremely well suited to the different climatic conditions of the country. On the other, through our purchase of project rights, our project development expertize, and the sale of turn-key photovoltaic power plants, we are consistently in a position to meet the demands of the market. Our levels of service are a further significant plus-point", suggests Chien.
South Africa has optimal conditions for the generation of electricity through solar energy. The irradiation levels of 2,500 hours of sunshine each year are amongst the highest worldwide. In particular, the Northwestern provinces of Northern Cape and North West record values of between 2,361 and 2,639 kWh/m2 per year. These regions are generally sparsely populated and are thereby particularly well suited to the deployment of large installations. Centrally located provinces such as Free State, Limpopo, Gauteng or Mpumalanga post values of between 1,944 and 2,361 kWh/m2. Also the coastal regions, such as KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape or Eastern Cape, with 1,667 to 1,944 kWh/m2, have irradiation levels suitable for the utilization of photovoltaic energy production. As a comparison, Germany has irradiation levels averaging between 900 and 1,200 In kWh/m2.
"Solar energy offers South Africa a clean, economical, and efficient alternative to avoid supp shortages. A growing population coupled with energy intensive industries, such as steel production and mining, are resulting in regular energy outages across the whole country",underlines Chien. Recently, Central Bank representatives have warned of damage to the economy through insufficient energy supply.
Also, because of the continually rising electricity costs in the country, Talesun sees the need for a decentralized roof-based solution to private energy use. Current figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) show that 59 percent of the African population lacks sufficient access to energy. This is the case for a large proportion of the rural population in South Africa.
"Photovoltaic energy represents a simple, practicable alternative for improving the quality of their lives, whether through reducing the risk of network power failures, or avoiding the poisonous fumes from smoke and paraffin associated with open fires", explains Arthur Chien. "In comparison with the industrialized nations, we'll see the alternative energy revolution on the African continent, and particularly in South Africa, proceeding at an even faster pace. The decentralized mobile communications have helped the African public to communicate effectively with one another "“ and the associated infrastructure was put in place with impressive speed; similarly, a decentralized solar-power sector will help the supply of clean energy at a low cost. It is expected that by 2015, photovoltaic energy will already have achieved grid-parity in South Africa."
