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FEATURE

HEINEKEN BREWERY GOES SOLAR

Heineken South Africa has taken a bold step in moving closer to reducing
carbon emissions in all its operations, by launching a solar power plant at
its Sedibeng, Midvaal brewery.

Sunrise over Sedibeng, with the brewery in the distance

he solar plant began producing
power in May this year and is the
Tlargest freestanding solar plant
powering a brewery in South Africa, and
the largest within the Heineken group. The
solar plant boasts 14,000 panels with an
energy capacity of over 6.5MW providing
30% of the brewery’s electricity demand.
The 19ha project will generate 17MWh per
annum.
“This project supports Heineken’s
Brewing a Better World goal to reach net
zero status in all its production sites by
2030. It is the latest move made by the
company, on its journey towards more
sustainable brewing. The newly installed
solar plant follows a water reclamation
plant unveiled at the same facility earlier
this year.” says Richard Kriel, Heineken’s The solar panels at Heineken’s Sedibeng solar plant. In between the bigger generating panels is a smaller
engineering, strategic projects and solar charging panel.
sustainability manager.
in partnership with The Sola Group, a without additional grid infrastructure
Distinguishing features vertically-integrated provider of renewable upgrades,” says Dom Wills, CEO of The Sola
Kriel says that there are several key energy solutions in South Africa. Group.
distinguishing features attached to this This embedded, grid-connected solar The construction process took
development. project incorporates single axis tracking approximately seven months to reach
“This will be the largest solar power technology that enables the panels to completion. During this time, a total of
plant in the Sedibeng municipality. move with the rising and setting of the 127 job opportunities were generated, 100
Unlike many solar plants in South Africa sun. of which were filled by people from the
constructed in parking lots, on roofs or in “Sola is proud to be associated with local Sedibeng community. The various
a desert area, the Sedibeng brewery solar Heineken and their commitment to job opportunities include technicians,
plant is built in a lush field covered with procuring clean, low-carbon energy. construction teams, general workers and
wild grasses.” Embedded generation projects right at community members who attend to solar
The plant, which has an estimated the source of consumption help to reduce panel cleaning and vegetation control to
lifespan of 25 years, has been undertaken the load on the electricity supply network maintain optimal performance.

18 Landscape SA • Issue 120 2022