Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve, a four-star lodge based in the Cederberg conservation area of the Western Cape, has revealed its new and improved solar power farm.
Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve has always valued and upheld environmentally friendly practices. Their core mission has always been centred on developing their green initiatives and sourcing improved procedures for a sustainable future. These procedures add to the security and opportunities of the local communities that staff the Lodge and that benefit from Kagga Kamma’s corporate social responsibility.
In November 2022, the reserve unveiled its new Solar Power Farm which provides sustainably sourced electricity to the lodge.
Engineering began in November 2021 and took longer than the actual farm construction, which only spanned seven months. The construction further speaks to Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve’s conservation programme, as the whole system can easily be disassembled and relocated, without affecting the land.
The solar farm itself is large and powerful enough to sustain all of the Lodge’s needs and is coupled with a fuel-powered backup generator that can maintain the power supply during the rainy season. All 648 panels are perfectly positioned through carefully planned engineering tests to maximise the sun’s surface contact.
The total capacity of the system could effectively supply power to 50 average-sized family homes. At present, the solar farm supplies sufficient energy to 13 Chalets, 15 Lodge Suites, and 26 Staff Homes, as well as the Reception, Restaurant, Bar, Spa, Laundry, and Communal Areas, though provision has been made for potential future expansion of the Lodge. It will be able to support the lodge for a minimum of 15 years, before requiring a service
The solar farm is coupled with a fuel-powered backup generator that can maintain the power supply during the rainy season. The generator was made possible using a PV design that uses revolutionary digital technology to automate and optimize the process of converting to the backup power supply.
At the official unveiling of the solar power farm, the Chairperson of the Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve board, Niel de Waal, said: ‘As custodians of the reserve, we have a responsibility to minimise our environmental footprint. This new solar plant, which provides all of our energy requirements, is one of the last building blocks to make us truly green. We believe that sustainable tourism is incredibly important for the continued development of the tourism industry in South Africa and, as the stewards of this reserve, we must minimise the environmental impact of sharing this unique experience with our guests.’
The solar farm project aligns perfectly with Kagga Kamma’s mission towards being a true eco-lodge and functions alongside their other environmentally friendly practices. Their efforts towards sustainability continue and this major project has only enhanced those methodologies for the Cederberg-based Lodge.
Pictures: Supplied
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