Solar PV on packhouses

The document argues that solar PV installations on packhouses are financially viable, particularly for larger systems, due to high daytime energy needs for cooling. It provides a model of financial feasibility and four case studies demonstrating electricity cost reductions and CO2 emissions avoidance. The brief also outlines the regulatory and technical requirements for feeding excess electricity back into the grid within various Western Cape municipalities.

• Solar PV on packhouses is effective because these facilities have intensive energy requirements for cooling during the day, which aligns with solar generation. Additionally, the panels act as insulators, reducing the cooling load; some installations have reported monthly electricity cost reductions of up to 80%.
• Large solar PV systems (500 kWp) are financially viable across all modelled scenarios, yielding an internal rate of return (IRR) greater than 18% and a net present value between R0.5 million and R4.1 million on an R8.1 million system.
• Small systems (≤10 kWp) are also viable but are more dependent on financing conditions, showing a positive net present value only under favourable 10% loan terms, with an IRR ranging from 11% to 21%.
• Case studies of packhouse installations demonstrate significant environmental and financial gains: Ceres Fruit Growers (986 kWp) avoided 1,622 tonnes of CO2e per annum, Ceres Koelkamers (908 kWp) reduced annual electricity costs by 11%, Stellenpak Fruit Packers (420 kWp) reduced electricity costs by 15%, and ArbeidsVreugd Fruit Packers (450 kWp) estimated savings of R38 million over 25 years.
• The ability to feed excess electricity into the grid varies by municipality in the Western Cape. For example, feed-in is permitted in the City of Cape Town, Drakenstein, and George, but is not possible in Beaufort West or Saldanha Bay.

APA

van Vuuren, P. J. (2016). Solar PV on packhouses. GreenCape. https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/Solar-PV-Industry-Brief-1.pdf

Chicago

van Vuuren, Pieter Janse. Solar PV on packhouses. GreenCape, 2016. https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/Solar-PV-Industry-Brief-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=van Vuuren |first1=Pieter Janse |title=Solar PV on packhouses |publisher=GreenCape |date=2016 |url=https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/Solar-PV-Industry-Brief-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vanvuuren2016solar, author = {van Vuuren, Pieter Janse}, title = {{Solar PV on packhouses}}, institution = {GreenCape}, year = {2016}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/Solar-PV-Industry-Brief-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }