In the lush landscape of Creighton Valley in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), a transformative journey to renewable energy is underway. Dairy farmers and cheese producers are turning to solar power to reduce their electricity costs and ensure a stable power supply. At the core of this transformation is SolarSaver, a company providing solar photovoltaic installations that are making a significant difference to these farms. 

Energy requirements 

Dairy farming is an energy-intensive operation. From powering milking machines to maintaining refrigeration units, a consistent supply of electricity is crucial for the seamless running of the farms.  

The Creighton Cheese Company processes approximately 70 000 litres of locally sourced milk daily, transforming it into 6 tons of cheese. This process-intensive business also relies on a considerable amount of power. 

The Creighton Cheese Company has turned to solar power to reduce its electricity costs and ensure a stable power supply.

Grid-tied solar 

Two years ago, SolarSaver completed a grid-tied solar installation at the Creighton Cheese Company. “SolarSaver’s installations have already made a huge difference to the farms in terms of electricity costs, having reliable, stable power and reducing the impact on the environment,” says the owner, Hayden Stokes. 

Consistent supply 

While grid-tied solar systems provide power during daylight hours, Stokes needed to find a way to keep his businesses operational and productive 24/7. Stokes plans to add a battery system to the existing Creighton Cheese installation and increase the solar PV with an additional 50.00 kWp. 

SolarSaver installed a state-of-the art solar and battery system at Burnview Dairy, another of Stokes’ dairy farm,  to create a hybrid system. This system allows Burnview Dairy to operate from solar power during the day and battery power during load shedding and power outages. 

The Creighton Cheese Company plans to add batteries to the solar installation and increase it by 50kWp.

“As milk is perishable, we risk losing thousands of litres of milk when outages occur,” says Stokes. “Dairy cows must be milked at regular intervals and power outages can interrupt this process, leading to decreased milk production and potential health issues for the cows.” 

Rent-to-own 

Grid-tied solutions are offered through SolarSaver’s unique rent-to-own model, which enables solar photovoltaic systems to be installed at no capital cost while clients pay only for the green power produced at lower rates than Eskom.  

SolarSaver provides solar battery hybrid solutions for a set monthly fee or as a direct sale. This allows clients to reduce their reliance on diesel generators during load shedding, and considerably reduce their diesel costs. 

“Burnview Dairy and Creighton Cheese are great examples of how renewable energy can help farmers remain competitive, as we work together to deal with power challenges and create a more sustainable future for South Africa,” says Lance Green of SolarSaver. 

Issue: Limiting the impact of unstable power and loadshedding.  

Solution: A hybrid solar solution ensures a consistent, stable power supply, whilst reducing dependency on generators saves costs and maintains production. 

For more information, contact SolarSaver: 

Tel: +27 11 463 4334 

Website: www.solar-saver.net