PROJECT LCP Solar
Administrative and procurement challenges
Small-scale embedded generation( SSEG) registration in South Africa remains challenging. While 44 % of municipalities officially accept SSEG applications as of 2024, only 17 % are registered on the SSEG portal. Although the municipal power company servicing the property is listed on the portal, no official was aware of its existence. Obtaining paper-based application forms from the local authority proved difficult, highlighting the administrative hurdles faced by PV solution providers.
Procurement delays also posed challenges. A critical 2400A DC switch, ordered early in the project due to a four-to-six-week lead time, was not ordered by the supplier as promised. This caused significant frustration but was resolved by air-freighting the unit in time to avoid delays in the council switchover date.
Unplanned site challenges also arose. During trenching for new cables, a worker accidentally damaged the main supply cable. The repair, undertaken after hours, incurred additional unforeseen costs.
System design and implementation
The initial system design proposed a 99.00kWp installation with 180 PV modules( 550Wp each) facing north. This was later revised to accommodate additional roof surfaces, increasing the system to 216 modules. The
www. sabuildingreview. co. za client approved the variation, as the additional cost was minimal.
To maximise roof surface utilisation, varying numbers of modules were planned, which required 24 MPPTs in total. Stringing on roof surfaces resulted in the Voc of the modules to exceed the allowed MPPT limits. The issue was resolved by selecting modules with lower open circuit voltage( Voc) and higher short circuit current( Isc), alongside an optimised cable plan to mitigate rising copper costs.
The final layouts were approved, with some modules installed in a landscape orientation due to space constraints near the inverter location.
Installation and completion
The inverter and battery room were repurposed from a converted storeroom. A detailed construction programme was prepared, including lead times and interdependent activities. After five layout revisions, the most efficient solution was finalised in collaboration with the client.
The switchover day began at 6am, with the property disconnected from the grid at 8am. Final connections were completed by 9pm, although troubleshooting on the external anti-islanding relay delayed the switchover back to the grid until 11.30pm.
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