Pioneering Energy Solutions at the Glentana Dairy Farm

The Glentana Dairy Farm grappled with significant energy challenges, primarily from an unreliable power grid and soaring diesel expenses. The farm’s core activities, such as milking cows, heavily depended on a consistent power supply, frequently disrupted by grid outages. These interruptions hindered daily operations and imposed additional costs and inefficiencies.

Moreover, the reliance on diesel generators during power failures escalated operational expenses, posing a substantial financial burden. The farm urgently sought a dependable and sustainable energy solution to alleviate these challenges and ensure uninterrupted operations while reducing overhead costs.

Dontuwire collaborated closely with the Glentana Dairy Farm to overcome the limitations of the current infrastructure by developing practical solutions to achieve the client’s multifaceted objectives:

• Reducing Diesel Expenses: Implement measures to diminish diesel generator usage, drastically augmenting overall profitability.
• Ensuring Uninterrupted Power: Establish systems that guarantee a consistent and uninterrupted power supply to sustain ongoing operations and mitigate the impact of grid outages.
• Decreasing Reliance on Eskom: Implement strategies to reduce dependency on Eskom’s grid, fortifying resilience against external disruptions while diminishing environmental impact.
• Lowering Environmental Footprint: Integrate eco-friendly solutions to curtail electricity costs and diminish the farm’s carbon footprint, aligning with sustainability objectives.

Dontuwire utilised a customised combination of advanced wind and solar technologies to transform energy generation and management. Our team expertly integrated advanced 20kW variable-pitch wind turbines with a robust Victron hybrid system, creating a new benchmark in renewable energy solutions for agricultural operations.

This innovative project involved using nine Victron Quattro 15kVA inverters, carefully designed to provide robust three-phase power and ensure the smooth operation of crucial farm equipment. In addition, two Freedom Won Lite Commercial LV 100kWh Lithium batteries were employed to offer reliable energy storage, along with two 10kW HV DC turbine controllers and hybrid inverters for efficient wind power conversion.

To maximise renewable energy output, our solution included an array of twenty 5.8kW DC-coupled MPPTs linked to 256 JA Solar 545W solar panels. This setup optimised solar energy harvesting, maximising the farm’s renewable energy output and strengthening its sustainability efforts.

This energy solution has successfully addressed the energy needs at the Glentana Dairy Farm while laying a foundation for future scalability and expansion. It reflects Dontuwire’s unwavering commitment to excellence and sustainability in agricultural energy solutions. Our collaborative approach and meticulous attention to detail have enabled the Glentana Dairy Farm to achieve unprecedented energy reliability, operational efficiency, and environmental stewardship. This success story is a testament to Dontuwire’s dedication to driving innovation and sustainability farms across the Eastern Cape and beyond.