Generator alleviates electricity infrastructure problems – becoming a business and infrastructure enabler in Africa

It’s no secret that remote rural areas experience problems with power supply – often electricity is not available or the power supply takes the form of a diesel- or petrol-driven generator. These options are expensive to purchase and maintain.

As part of its drive towards providing Built For Africa products, Samsung announced the development of an alternative that will provide easy power accessibility at an affordable price and that does not require the use of non-renewable resources for its operation. “The Samsung Solar Power Generator forms one important component in Samsung’s broader business enabler solution offering, which is naturally a plausible option for outlying areas, where power supply is absent or intermittent,” says Ntutule Tshenye, Head of Business to Government (B2G) and Corporate Citizenship for Samsung Electronics Africa.

The Samsung Solar Power Generator, equivalent to that of a 15 KVa diesel generator, capitalises on the one resource that Africa has an abundance of – sunlight. “By harnessing the sun’s energy, we are able to provide the African continent with an extremely affordable power source, characterised by an environmentally-friendly footprint,” adds Tshenye. As well as the benefits provided by implementing a green energy source, the generator can provide power for up to 8 years without any additional maintenance. It is a reliable power solution with a lifespan of up to 25 years. Additionally, the generator is cost effective! In fact, from a pricing point of view, return on investment can be recouped in just 30 months compared to similar diesel generators which require ongoing maintenance and support.

“This product is ideal for any facility where alternative energy sources are required,” says Tshenye. “So for example, we can now power Samsung products in rural areas. A smart school for example or perhaps a community centre with LED lighting and technology or even a remote border post, given their online access requirements. And if that wasn’t enough, it is built in such a way that it has the capability to allow someone to dial in over the Internet remotely to analyse the generator and troubleshoot any problems before sending out a technician if need be. The generator is safe to use, easily deployable to site and has very low maintenance requirements making it an ideal business and infrastructure enabler,”

Built For Africa

African conditions are harsh and demanding. Samsung recognises this and adopts an analytical attitude in the definition, conceptualisation, design and manufacture of its products for this continent. The Solar Power Generator is rugged in construction and readily able to cope in the African environment. One example is the solar panels that are used on the generator which cannot be affected by humidity or hail.
“The Solar Power Generator is a classic example of Samsung closely analysing and reacting to specific market needs. Clusters of metropolitan areas served by a relatively well-defined infrastructure typify Africa. Conversely, the largest proportion of Africa has little or no infrastructure and the access to electricity is scarce and unreliable.

This product provides a reliable, efficient and cost-effective way of powering rural facilities and by combining two or more generators, the energy requirements of larger installations can also be accommodated – to meet any African requirement,” Tshenye concludes.