Picture: Mahikeng-born engineer, Thabiso Kgosiemang
By BAKANG MOKOTO
Nowadays many business owners and residents’ livelihoods continue to be affected either by obnoxious load-shedding or high tariffs of electricity across South Africa. However, Thabiso Kgosiemang who is a specialist in renewable energy has a lasting solution to that.
Kgosiemang runs a company that installs medium-to-large scale rooftop Solar Photovoltaic (PV) that provides cost-effective electricity. Mahikeng-born engineer said his company, Bodiredi Maranyane PTY (LTD) which is micro-enterprise, is your one-stop solution from back-up to off-grid.
“Grid-Tied and Off-Grid systems with battery storage are ideal for saving electricity costs and reducing monthly expenses. This cost-effective initiative offers the best return on investment as people continue to nitpick that Eskom electricity is unreliable.
“Remember, the sun is a natural resource which is not affected by economic factors like inflation. So, I came up with this project to tap the sun resource and provide people with energy. I am using solar as a bridging technology for the majority of the poor who could not afford to cover costs like Eskom tariffs,” he said.
Kgosiemang added that it is efficient to run a solar energy system because you do not draw power from the grid, but from the sun. He said the technology is developing and the cost is going down.
“I think that majority of people will be able to afford a basic solar system for lighting and infotainment in the future. We established the project under Bagaetsho Non-Profit Organisation at Mantsha village and Mosikare Secondary School in Mahikeng.
“So, the project started very basic and we erected a solar street light at Mosikare Secondary School. The solar street light was meant to educate our people including learners about solar technology. I started venturing into residential households where I installed solar energy for household applications, said Kgosiemang.
He further said they have a team comprises of two technicians, one artisan and himself as an engineer. Kgosiemang enrolled for Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Mathematics at the North West University (Mafikeng Campus) to further his studies after completing his matric at Letsatsing Science High School in Mahikeng back then.
“I was fortunate enough to receive a bursary from Eskom to study Electrical Engineering at the University of Cape Town afterward. I received a two-year internship at the power utility company after my graduation and I was happy to be appointed as a permanent employee and worked as an engineer in a research environment for seven-year before I resigned.
“I decided to quit my job because every time when I visited home back in Mahikeng, I could see an opportunity for renewable energy, solar in particular. Mahikeng is a semi-desert area where we have sun resources in abundance,” he said.
Kgosiemang said solar energy can work as grid electricity and cater for commercial, industrial and agricultural purposes. He said it is important to do an electricity usage survey and look at the customer based.
“Municipalities can use solar energy as grid electricity and it is imperative for them to differentiate their customer base from residential, commercial, and industrial. The survey will help to design an adequate solar system after segmentation.
“Nowadays you will find independent solar suppliers which are mainly solar and wind. Mostly they are building solar plants that are equivalent to coal-fired power stations depending on the size of the solar plant. The advantage of solar is that its lead time is relatively shorter compared to developing a coal-fired power station,” Kgosiemang said.
He said a solar system mainly comprises a solar panel, batteries, infuse boxes, inverters, and connection cables. Kgosiemang said the solar panels capture the sun heat and convert it into usable alternating current electricity.
“The energy from the sun is the direct current that is captured by the panels and converted into the alternating current by the inverters which is the second component of the solar system. So, household appliances normally use alternating current that will power them.
“The inverters also regulate how the batteries charge and discharge. This helps to ensure that batteries are not overcharged or overdischarged. The energy stored in the batteries is used during the night or cloudy periods when there is no sunlight,” said Kgosiemang.
He added that some households need solar for lighting only, while others need it for lighting and plugs or a comprehensive package. Kgosiemang said solar renewable energy installation has a lifespan of 20-25 years and the brand of components that one is using plays a role.
If you are interested in solar energy installation you can call Thabiso Kgosiemang on 0713528637 or email thabisotwin@gmail.com
The Guardian 