We are casting light onto conservation

Bright Light and Sectional Title Solutions (STS Group of companies) have successfully powered up Care For Wild Rhino Sanctuary (CFWRS) with a completely off-grid solar solution.

The devastating impact of deforestation, climate change and the poaching scourge has left and continues to leave behind young, defenceless, orphaned rhino calves. The threatening situation has created a need for greater support of conservation efforts to save this iconic, keystone species from extinction.

Bright Light, in conjunction with the STS Group, has stepped in to ensure the sustainability of the world’s largest specialised rhino conservation facility with a completely off-grid solar PV solution. This solution caters for the sanctuary’s day-to-day power and water necessities. Environmental stewardship is a longstanding focus for Bright Light Solar and the STS Group, and they are both thrilled to collaborate with the sanctuary in this solar energy system feature.

The array was fully operational from June 2021 and generates a power saving of a whopping 41 760 kilowatt per hour (kWh) of electricity each year. The sanctuary was previously running a combination of expensive generators coupled with a small but inefficient solar and battery solution. Due to unpredictable fluctuating fuel costs and not being eco-friendly, the setup was unsustainable. The 26.1kW PV system donated by Bright Light and the STS Group consists of 58 x 450Wp panels on an existing workshop roof and a 59.2kWh battery solution.

Michael Faber, Director of Bright Light, says, “by helping protect rhinos, we’re helping to conserve their habitat for the benefit of people and other wildlife, making sure natural resources are available for generations to come. Solar is the obvious choice when wanting to cut back on costs while contributing to the green economy and using solar for the direct benefit of the conservation of rhinos is a no-brainer.”

Since the installation of the off-grid energy solution the rhino sanctuary has had an influx of orphaned baby rhinos and new arrivals. They have been able to run the hospital facilities 24 hours a day to care for the animals – something that was very difficult to do previously.

This massive undertaking was rolled out in a phased approach. The first phase of the implementation, focusing on the house and office areas, commenced with the delivery of a 45kVA 3 phase fully insulated container integrated with the existing 45kVA generator complete with cooling, lighting, filtered vents and complemented with eight 7.4kWh free issue batteries.

The second phase of the implementation focussed on the actual rhino pens. Bright Light installed a 5kVA phase one enclosure system, supplemented by two 7,4kWh batteries in two off-wall cabinets. The team built a carport structure that houses twelve 450Wp modules integrated into a generator for low state of charge (SOC) assist. For lighting, eight 4.8m height street poles were erected, complete with PV modules, 20W LED floodlights, a charge controller, lithium battery and RF/PIR/manual switching sensor.

Post the arrays in the rhino pen, the team relocated and upgraded the existing system. This entailed the decommissioning and moving of the modules to the entrance gate and guardhouse, remounting modules on the corrugated roof short rail structure with existing AC/DC equipment and new batteries, and lastly, reconfiguration and firmware updates before recommissioning.

The final, and most significant phase of the implementation was the installation of 24 450Wp modules to 10.8kWp on a ground mount structure, connected to a 7.5kW drive and integration with the generator for the water pump.

Mayar and Blossom look on curiously as the supply truck arrives at the sanctuary. Blossom is on the right. You can see that she is missing a piece of her tail – it was chewed off by hyena after her mom was killed. Mayar (on the left) was so traumatised when she arrived at CFWRS that she didn’t eat properly for a month. It took a lot of dedication and perseverance to pull this little one through. Blossom played a big part in helping Mayar to adapt to her new life.

“We’re passionate about solar and the benefits it has for our country and the planet. We see choosing solar over conventional energy solutions as a “win win win” scenario where you get to cut costs while contributing positively to the environment – leaving a lasting green legacy for future generations to enjoy. Future generations inherit all the results of the decisions we make today, playing our part to conserve one of the Big five for future generations is an honour.” says Johnny Wates, Director of Bright Light.