Rental Solar Farms | Africa

In remote locations, large-scale diesel generators are usually the most convenient way to generate electricity. But with rising energy costs and increased concern about carbon emissions, the market is hungry for alternatives.

Solar panels traditionally require a significant up-front investment and a long-term pay-back period, but what if you could rent them short term? Redavia leases cost-effective, convenient and clean solar farms without up-front capital investment or long-term obligations. The farms in turn reduce consumption of diesel fuel by generators, improve access to electricity and reduce emissions and power costs in communities around the world.

Fast facts

Redavia’s Fast Track Solar (FTS) system is the first, privately financeable, subsidy-free, scalable solar farm product in the world;
The FTS system can be assembled 85 per cent faster and with 85 per cent less on-site labor than standard systems;
For every MWh of diesel power replaced, Redavia’s rental solar farms reduce carbon emissions by approximately 0.7 tonnes of C02.

The problem

While large-scale diesel generators are a convenient way to generate electricity in remote locations, diesel fuel has recently become prohibitively expensive. On top of that, diesel fuel prices are likely to increase further in the coming years and the emissions from diesel engines are both a local health hazard and a global environmental risk. Diesel power users are looking for a way to reduce diesel power costs and emissions with a cost-effective, clean and convenient alternative.

The solution

Redavia’s Fast Track Solar (FTS) system is a solar photovoltaic power system designed for hybrid operation with diesel generators in remote locations.

At the core of the system is a pre-assembled, ground-mounted solar PV block. This block is factory-assembled, shipped to the remote location and assembled on-site.

The FTS system is 85 per cent faster, with 85 per cent less manpower, than standard solar power systems. Once operational, Redavia’s FTS runs in parallel with existing diesel generators, replacing diesel power during daytime.

Besides reducing emissions, rental solar power is 20 to 40 per cent cheaper than diesel generator power, thereby enabling faster economic development of local economies.

Helping the planet

Remote mines, remote communities, and other diesel generator users benefit from replacing diesel power with solar power. Doing so saves at least 20 to 30 per cent on power costs, locks in a fixed solar power price and reduces carbon and other harmful emissions.

Helping people

Redavia’s FTS system allows flexible contract lengths in least developed countries. It has the potential to become a significant player in the emerging energy sector, generating healthy financial returns, real social benefits for the communities in which they do business, and meaningful carbon emission reductions.

Spillover effect

Redavia aims to deploy 200MW of rental solar farms in developing countries by the end of 2016.

This will create USD 350 million in clean energy investment in developing countries, reduce CO2 emissions by 224,000 tonnes per year, reduce power costs by USD 64 million a year and give access to sustainable energy to 550,000 people in remote communities.In addition, Redavia formally launched its solar farm equity investment offering to qualified investors. Redavia’s solar farms provide investors with an attractive yield, combined with a significant sustainable development impact in selected African countries and other fast-growing markets.