A case study presented at Enlit Africa 2026 has highlighted how municipal microgrids can provide critical infrastructure resilience and operational savings beyond their original load-shedding purpose.
Presenting the Hartenbos wastewater treatment works microgrid in Mossel Bay, Solareff CEO DeVilliers Botha outlined how the project is designed to ensure uninterrupted operation of critical municipal infrastructure during periods of grid instability while creating longer-term value through tariff optimisation.
The hybrid system, developed for the Mossel Bay municipalitys wastewater treatment works, combines solar PV, battery storage, diesel backup and grid integration through an advanced energy management system. The installation includes 2.112 MVA of solar PV generated by 4 536 modules, approximately 4.5 MWh of battery storage, a 2.75 MVA battery inverter station and a new 11 kV substation. Diesel backup generation is also integrated into the system.
