SolarWorld Africa, together with its distribution partner enerGWorx supplied a 127kWp, roof-mounted solar system to Timberlea Farming Trust, a group most well-known internationally for their blueJay branded fruit, as well as its production of the much-loved locally distributed blueJay fresh juices.
The group, comprised of nine farms across the Western Cape, produces in the region of 13 000 tons of stone, pome and citrus fruit per annum and are suppliers to well-known local retailers Woolworths as well as Marks & Spencers, Sainsburys and Waitrose internationally.
The farming consortium which trades under the brand, blueJay, has made considerable upgrades to their infrastructure as part of a firm commitment to sustainable business. In an effort to reduce energy consumption and save costs across all of their agricultural assets, Timberlea Farming Trust opted for the solar system installation at their farm just outside Stellenbosch.
"At Timberlea, we believe that sustainability means having the ability to meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. And it is with this in mind, that we are critically aware that sustainable business practices are no longer an implausible dream but a daily reality. Energy reduction and efficiency management form a major part of our business functions, and we believe they are a definite contributor to our success in running a viable farming enterprise through these challenging times. We are aware that without implementing resource friendly initiatives, the future of not only our business, but the industry as a whole, could be affected, and it is due to this, that projects like these are key to us", says Sandra Jeffery, Operations Manager of the blueJay Group.
SolarWorld supplied its polycrystalline solar panels for the array spanning the multiple rooftops of the farms cold storage and packhouse facilities. The installation is expected to subsidise 30% of the farms total electrical output. "The blueJay Group is already involved in a number of empowering initiatives for its stakeholders, from staff equity ownership to providing education for the children of staff. We are proud to add to their sustainability approach, enabling them to meet their ambitious environmental and commercial targets through the use of solar energy," says Gregor Küpper, SolarWorld Africa Managing Director.
Apart from subsidising its electricity bill quite significantly, Timberlea Farming Trust is also able to fix the costs of the electricity generated by the solar installation and address a growing demand by end consumers for products with a lowered carbon footprint. Through this 127kWp installation, Timberlea Farming Trust saves 213 tons of carbon per annum.
"With a great deal of expertise and technical know-how of solar installations in the agricultural sector, we understood the energy requirements of Timberlea Farming Trust. This allowed us, together with SolarWorlds technology, to implement this project quickly and efficiently within the given timeframe and to the satisfaction of the Client", says Andre Potgieter enerGWorx Managing Director.
