By Duncan Maina | Finance Manager
Over the past two months, we have been working with potential suppliers on refining and renegotiating the bids in light of the falling costs of solar panels. In the process, we received three quotes, as per our procurement policy which were from the following suppliers;
The procurement committee met on 28th March 2025 and decided to award the contract to Udzo Sustainable Ltd based on price, quality of components and supplier reputation.
Below is what we expect with the installation;
Solar Modules - A total of 24 modules totalling at least 14.4 kW peak would be mounted on aluminium roof racks. The racking ensures cool operation of the modules by raising them above the roof leaving room for air circulation below them. Aluminum is chosen because its rust proof ensuring long life when used close to the ocean.
Inverter and battery - The Hinnen All-in-one 15kW with 2 times 7.7kWH high voltage batteries for a total of 15.4kWH will be installed. Hinen is a very strong and reliable brand with innovative solar products. Having a local manufacturers' distribution centre in Kenya ensures good support and warranty management. The all-in-one component will ensure elegance, compactness and a decluttered space. Additionally, we shall have a manual change-over switch built into the system allowing bypassing of the system directly and powering the loads directly from the main supply if the need arises.
Solar flood lights - Six high-quality 150W flood lights have been proposed to be installed. The floodlights will allow switching off the other powered security flood lights, which are the biggest source of consumption at night. This lowers the strain on the batteries, giving them a long life.
System remote monitoring application -This will ensure that the system can be monitored for reliability and its generation trended and recorded for quantification of benefits.
In addition to the installation expected, we have further deliberated with Udzo Sustainable Ltd on the below;
Current Status of works:
The management would want to start recouping the benefits of the solar project early in the year and hence we plan for the project to kick off with available resources. We are currently repairing the roof, to ensure that the panels are placed on a strong structure, which will not need any repair work in the near future. This was deemed necessary to reduce on costs that would be borne with dismantling and re-installation. The costs for the roof repairs is estimated at Kes 600,000/=.
We expect the installation work to commence on site by the end of April and the installation to be up and running by mid-May.
Funding Status:
We still have a shortfall in funds for the project. MTG's management is looking to bridge this shortfall from the sale of an existing diesel backup generator. In the meantime, we intend to continue reaching out to partners and friends for continued fundraising for the project.
Conclusion:
The solar installation project has significantly progressed over the past two months with supplier engagement and contracting. While a funding gap remains, efforts to bridge this gap are underway and we ask continued support from our partners and friends, to make it a reality. This project marks a major step for our organization and the larger community, on advocating for environmentally sustainable solutions for Kenyan organizations and homes.
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