LEADING the charge towards greater renewable energy use and power self-sufficiency, NMMU is exploring the viability of establishing a 1MW (megawatt) solar farm on its southern campus in Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth.
Regarded as a more of an investigative initiative, the institution published an invitation last week to tender for the provision of a 1 000 KWP (kilowatt peak) grid-tied photovoltaic system based on a solar power purchase agreement.
Essentially, the tender invites proposals for the design, supply, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of a photovoltaic system for 10 years.
The university would purchase the electricity generated by the system at the rates tendered by the successful bidder for the tender, while the ownership of the installed plant and accompanying equipment would revert to the university at the end of the 10year period.
The university said yesterday the site envisioned for the system would be next to the postgraduate student village on NMMU’s Summerstrand campus.
NMMU infrastructure projects director Greg Ducie said if it went ahead the farm was expected to produce about 6% of the total NMMU electricity consumption, which NMMU would then buy to feed into the university’s grid.
Ducie said his department was working closely with the university’s Centre for Energy Research, headed by Professor Ernest van Dyk.
Part of the agreement for the project would be that Van Dyk and his students would be able to conduct research at the working solar farm.
If approved, construction would be completed by January, Ducie said.