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PiA Solar
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Energy
PiA Solar is an industry leader in the supply and installation of mounting structures for solar utility projects in South Africa and worldwide. spoke to director of business development, Axel Pustet, on the evolution of PiA from a truly South African company to an international operator.
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o a layman, PiA Solar’s products look like any other solar installation – endless ranks of tilted blue PV modules, set in rows in the sun or perched on carport roofs. A more experienced eye, however, will note the robust design, contour following and modular systems ensuring the reliability needed for the African continent’s sometimes challenging ground and weather conditions. The keenest eye will note the perfect alignment. The company’s primary products and services accommodating the world market are turnkey installations of its ContouR+ Tracker, which adjusts the angle of the solar panels for maximum efficiency, along with fixed tilt, rooftop and carport solar structure for existing buildings.
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Expanding the business
Starting off with a “small” 75 megawatt project in South Africa in the early 2013s, PiA is now approaching 500 megawatts of installed projects and laid its one millionth solar cell in 2015 in a 90 MWp project in de Aar, South Africa. Although tough, its systems’ main advantages are in their simplicity. “We have a very effective design with needful functionality,” says Pustet, “but people are surprised how simple a system can be – this is why we believe we can compete in the international market very well.”
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From its relatively humble 2012 beginnings PiA has grown significantly thanks to its various contracts in Africa, with 50 permanent employees and three locations: a central headquarters in Port Elizabeth, a distribution warehouse and office in Johannesburg and a customer liaison office in Cape Town. When Axel Pustet, Director Business Development, PiA Solar SA
“Starting off with a “small” 75 megawatt project in South Africa in the early 2013s, PiA is now approaching 500 megawatts of installed projects and laid its one millionth solar cell in 2015 in a 90 MWp project in de Aar, South Africa
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working on larger projects the company hires from a proven network of subcontractors and people – up to 450 staff on site in some of its more recent projects. It is also level one Black Economic Empowermentrated, and heavily involved in programmes by the South African government to develop local business and entrepreneurship.
The politics of power
During the 2017 State of the Nation address, president Jacob Zuma committed South Africa and its electricity public utility Eskom to renewable energy as well as coal, gas and nuclear. This move has been welcomed by the solar industry, especially after months of deadlock following Eskom’s refusal to
“Thanks to advances in the technology, the price of solar modules is only going down. Further to this, the conditions in South Africa are ideal for solar generation in the residential, commercial and large industries and could create huge development potential
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“At present, the company is looking largely at small to medium-scale utility and private solar projects in various countries, with plans to expand internationally taking up much of its attention
This lack of support is the only thing holding back the development of small-scale solar power projects like PiA’s rooftop and carport substructures. Thanks to advances in the technology, the price of solar modules is only going down. Further to this, the conditions in South Africa are ideal for solar generation in the residential, commercial and large industries and could create huge development potential. In terms of development and engineering South Africa is certainly able to compete internationally.
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Pustet credits PiA’s rapid growth and success in the industry to the mindset of its management team when it comes to installation. “All our products have been designed for fast, adaptable and safe installation – all of us have come out of the automobile industry and this is the thinking: it’s like an assembly line. Every step has to fit into each other to make it as effective as possible.” For a company focusing on turnkey installation and modular components this approach has helped PiA deliver consistently ahead of schedule.
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issue final budget quotes to preferred bidders in Round 4 and the Round 4 extension of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme. As a major South African solar provider, PiA is subcontracting and supplying its tracking systems to several of the successful bidders. Nonetheless, Eskom’s lack of interest in renewable energy remains especially frustrating to South African companies like PiA. In particular, Pustet pointed to the lack of regulation to support micro systems, particularly for connecting low voltage systems to Eskom’s grid.
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Looking forward
PiA is continuing to expand its business elsewhere in the world with a current focus on Africa, aligning itself with the continent’s growing hunger for renewable energy and its own generational capabilities. At present, the company is looking largely at small to medium-scale utility and private solar projects in various countries, with plans to expand internationally taking up much of its attention. PiA’s birth in South Africa coincided with a demand for job creation and economic development in the region, one that it intends to contribute to wherever it operates. “PV Solar is a decentralized concept, even if we are currently working mostly
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on utility scale projects. But going abroad we always respect the demand for local development of jobs, skills and the economy in our target markets.” The scope of PiA’s target markets is rapidly expanding, as Pustet explains. “The core markets we’re looking to create business in for 2018 and the years following are in Argentina, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Africa will be mostly dominated by micro-grid and smaller systems. However Nigeria, Morocco and Tunisia might become very important for PiA, but there is also a limited amount going on in other African regions, so perhaps in two or three years their importance will grow. Ultimately we can’t rely on one state and its utility, so we have to spread the risk.”
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Currently PiA Solar is installing its tracker in Namibia in 2 17MW projects, and is nominated for more than 230MW in the region. Ultimately, in the next two years, PiA is looking to become one of the top 10 solar tracker suppliers, joining Chinese, European and US multinationals. With its innovate attitude and approach and the success it currently enjoys, this certainly seems like an achievable aim.
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