Aptech Africa recently designed, supplied, installed and commissioned four stand alone solar PV systems for different Jehovah’s witness kingdom halls in Busia and Namayingo districts, Uganda, in a project self-financed by the registered Trustees of the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witness.
Each of the four systems has a roof mounted 2.2kWp of Soleil Power Panels and 5kWh of BYD lithium-ion batteries with BMS to manage the battery. The inverter technology is Victron Energy, an inverter charger that has two AC inputs and out puts to allow connection of the grid in future. A Victron smart solar charge controllers with maximum power point trucking was used in each of the installation. All systems can be remotely monitored through the cerbo GX which is installed on site to communicate the Battery SOC, PV generated power, as well as fault detection capability which assists in allowing early problem solving and preventing future damage to installed equipment. This can all be seen through the VRM portal for Victron and locally through Victron connect app that can be used both on phone and laptop
All the sites where installations were completed are off grid and used to face challenges with communication during their fellowship and meetings as they used to use radios that would run out of power during the meeting and also their laptops used to run out of power before the meetings and fellowships ended, the client was unable to extend their meetings and fellowships till late night due to lack of lighting in the kingdom halls, and the security of the kingdom halls has not been good since they had no security lights.
Thus, with this installation the client will be able to always have meetings and fellowships as long as desired and be able to use the public address systems as desired, and also extend their fellowships up to late night and increase security in the kingdom halls is expected as provided by the now available security lights and over 120 people are expected to benefit from this installation.
Aptech Africa ensured to install these systems successfully on time meeting all the requirements of the client. The client desired more secured system components, Aptech managed to implement this by giving lockable inverter cages and battery racks reinforced in the ground.
The systems will also help in contribution to sustainable development through climate change mitigation achieved by use of clean energy from the sun rather than diesel generators that would otherwise increase greenhouse gases.
