The historic Cape Town Market in Epping has taken a massive step towards a greener, more energy-secure future with the official start of the commissioning of a battery energy storage system and demand management system.
The commissioning of the three megawatt hour (MWh) system follows the installation of more than 3 000 solar panels with a 1,4MWh output.
‘This project marks a major milestone for one of the oldest and largest fresh produce markets in South Africa. With over 5 500 producers delivering produce to market agents, who in turn sell to more than 8 000 registered buyers, Cape Town Market is a central player in the city’s food security.
‘With the development of this system, the market’s extensive network of technology that maintains the quality of the products and services will be further secured,’ said Alderman James Vos, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth at the opening ceremony.
The critical components of the Storage and Demand Management system are:
• A demand management system that targets the interruptible loads during grid peak times and load-shedding e.g. heating in banana rooms and chiller compressor reductions.
• BESS (Battery) for charging during off-peak and solar production time and discharging in peak periods
• Stand by generator(s) (1,4MVA) for peak lopping if other options are unavailable.
• A programmable logic controller and intelligent algorithms automatically managing energy flow.
Not only has the market gone with a greener energy supply, but it also diverts around 90% of its waste from landfills. Approximately half of the discarded produce is donated to Food on The Table, an NPO that serves more than 100 soup kitchens.
Philé van Zyl, chairman of the board of Cape Town Market, expressed his appreciation to all the participants who contributed to the successful completion of the energy management project.
‘The market, which is owned by the City and leased to the Cape Town Market (Pty) Ltd, a private company consisting of industry players is an example of a world-class site that centres people, the planet and products while maintaining the highest standard of quality and service,’ said Alderman Vos.
