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Business
VRF IN SOLAR-POWERED ENVIRONMENTS
By Eamonn Ryan
In RACA Journal January, we profiled a VRF project( LG’ s I & S Motors in De Deur, within the Midvaal Municipality of the Vaal Triangle) backed by an off-grid solar power system.
The drive toward sustainability is becoming increasingly prominent among businesses, with many seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and achieve green certifications. According to Andries Bekker, Air Solutions Field Engineering Team Leader at LG Electronics South Africa, since that first project there has been a surge in interest, especially from companies aiming for green star ratings – though the solar panel need to be supplied through a third party company. This trend reflects a growing awareness of the importance of sustainability in modern business practices, even as load shedding in South Africa is hopefully a thing of the past.
The facility called for a high-efficiency HVAC solution for energy conservation, flexibility for convenient installation and comprehensive system control— all while operating entirely off-grid. The project presented a unique set of challenges that pushed the boundaries of conventional HVAC VRF solutions. With no access to the municipal power grid, the remote location demanded an innovative approach.
Bekker explains the company’ s approach:“ Until now, only small residential units have been installed to operate on solar energy. However, for larger loads like VRF systems, there are specific capacities that can run on solar power, but they lacked the intelligence to adjust operations based on real-time battery power. This makes our solution an industry first.”
The Multi V5 system is equipped with an ultimate inverter compressor that significantly contributes to energy efficiency. This compressor optimises the energy consumption of the system, ensuring that it adapts to the variable energy available
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RACA Journal I May 2025 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za