University of Johannesburg installs 4 450 solar panels

The University of Johannesburg is focused on achieving its sustainability goals and has installed a reported 4 450 solar panels on the roofs of several on-campus buildings and carports.

University of Johannesburg implements solar panels

Mr Mbambeleli Masala, the project manager of sustainability at UJ provides insight into the technicality and technology behind the installed solar paneling.

“The photovoltaic system manages over 1700 kilowatts of solar photovoltaic power and could produce as much as 4 343 500 kilowatt hours of renewable energy annually. This is close to 8.88 percent of the 48 866 044 kilowatt-hours of energy consumed across the University’s four campuses, yearly,” says Mr Mbambeleli Masala, the project manager of sustainability at UJ.

The move towards adopting solar paneling as a renewable source of energy was rolled out with the support of Renewable Circle Solutions (RCSOL) and Cronimet Mining Power Solutions.

The project is a step towards the University’s sustainability goals and indicates its commitment to opting for environmentally-friendly energy sources and further reduces demand on the existing national power grid. 

With the frequency of loadshedding increasing, implementations such as this are critical to alleviating pressure on the grid.

Masela explains that the University is seeking projects that are innovative for both university operations and for research purposes. 

“Installing solar power energy not only provides learning opportunities for our students, saves money by reducing the power bill, but is also a step towards achieving the country and the world’s climate goals as it also reduces the carbon emissions.”

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Featured image: University of Johannesburg (Supplied)