50MWPV&50MWPCS&100MWH Microgrid Energy Storage System in Africa

SUVPR Successfully Deploys Large-Scale Solar-Storage-Diesel Integrated Microgrid for African Mine Site

This project addresses the critical pain points of unstable and costly power supply in African mining operations by successfully deploying a large-scale microgrid consisting of 50MW solar PV, 50MW PCS, and 100MWh of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Operating on a "self-consumption" model, the system innovatively integrates solar PV, energy storage, and existing diesel generators to establish a stable, economical, and sustainable off-grid power supply. It stands as a benchmark energy storage project in Africa and a exemplary case of applying an off-grid battery energy storage system in a remote industrial site.

1. Client Pain Points & Challenges

Exorbitant Energy Costs

The mine's long-term, complete reliance on diesel generators resulted in fuel procurement and transportation costs constituting a massive portion of operational expenses, with significant financial risk from price volatility.

Unstable Power Supply

Traditional diesel generators suffered from major voltage and frequency fluctuations and slow response times, severely disrupting heavy mining equipment operation and frequently causing unplanned production stoppages with substantial economic losses.

Insufficient Operational Resilience & Flexibility

Within a weak or completely off-grid environment, the system had poor black-start capability and struggled to handle sudden load changes, leading to low energy supply security.

Environmental & Social Responsibility Pressure

Diesel generation produced substantial carbon emissions and noise pollution, conflicting with global sustainability trends and increasingly stringent environmental regulations.

2.SUVPR Solution: A Turnkey Smart Microgrid System

We delivered a turnkey energy storage system, customized for the harsh mining environment from design to deployment.

High-Efficiency Solar PV Array (50MW):

Utilizes high-conversion-efficiency PV modules to maximize solar energy yield.

Features a high-strength, corrosion-resistant mounting structure designed for the mine's complex terrain and climate, ensuring long-term, reliable operation and forming the core of an industrial solar power system.

Modular Containerized Energy Storage System (100MWh):

Employs the BYD MC Cube-T series container energy storage system. Each 5MWh unit is a containerized battery energy storage system (BESS) with a non-walk-in safety design, integrating power distribution, thermal management, and fire suppression within a rugged outdoor enclosure, inherently suited to the dusty, high-temperature mine site.

Its modular energy storage system design facilitates rapid maintenance and flexible capacity expansion, perfectly aligning with future increases in mine output and representing an ideal scalable energy storage system.

Intelligent PCS Boosting All-in-One Unit (2.5MW per unit):

Acting as the system's "key" this energy storage inverter for industrial applications features critical functions like black start, high/low voltage ride-through, and VSG (Virtual Synchronous Generator).

Problems Solved by the PCS:

• System Restoration: Enables rapid black start of the microgrid in extreme scenarios, ensuring power supply to critical loads.
• Grid Stabilization: Provides essential inertia and damping support via VSG technology to maintain stable voltage and frequency in weak or off-grid systems.
• Seamless Energy Dispatch: Intelligently coordinates the PV, BESS, and diesel generators, achieving millisecond-level smooth switching and optimal power distribution between sources. It is the core enabling the efficient operation of this hybrid solar diesel battery system.
• Energy Manegement System

The integrated EMS provides full remote monitoring of the African mine's hybrid microgrid. Its cloud dashboard enables real-time tracking of PV output, battery status, and diesel generator operation with multi-level alerts for abnormalities. The platform supports remote diagnostics and adjustments, ensuring global visibility and control for optimal performance.

3. Smart Energy Management Strategy

The system follows a "Solar-First, Storage Regulation, Diesel Backup" smart energy management strategy to maximize economic benefits:

Tier 1: PV Direct Supply: Solar power is used preferentially during daytime hours, with excess energy charging the battery energy storage system (BESS).

Tier 2: BESS Discharge: During nights, cloudy periods, or peak load times, the industrial battery storage system discharges, enabling peak shaving and significantly reducing diesel generator usage.

Tier 3: Diesel Backup: Diesel generators are automatically activated only as a last resort when BESS charge is low or in extreme conditions, minimizing their runtime. This model effectively implements the core concept of diesel generator replacement.

4. Core Value Delivered to the Client

Significant Economic Advantages

Drastic Reduction in Fuel Costs: Solar PV becomes the primary, zero-cost energy source, directly displacing expensive diesel and significantly lowering operational expenditure (OPEX).

Decreased O&M Expenses: The drastic reduction in diesel generator runtime leads to markedly less equipment wear, lower maintenance frequency, and extended asset life.

Optimized Return on Investment (ROI): While a capital infrastructure investment, the project achieves an excellent lifecycle ROI through ongoing, substantial fuel cost savings.

Superior Operational Power Advantages

Achieves 24/7 Stable & Reliable Power Supply: The combined smooth output of solar and storage, supported by the PCS's advanced grid-forming capabilities, delivers high-quality power for sensitive mining equipment that matches or exceeds traditional grid standards.

Enhanced System Resilience & Independence: Creates a microgrid capable of island mode operation, ensuring continuous power supply during external grid failures. The rapid black start capability drastically reduces the risk of production stoppages.

Flexible Response to Load Fluctuations: The millisecond-level response of the BESS combined with the precise control of the PCS instantly balances PV intermittency and load surges, guaranteeing uninterrupted production.

5. Project Summary: Defining a New Standard for Mining Energy

SUVPR's deployment of this solar-storage-diesel integrated microgrid at the African mine site is not merely a successful energy storage project; it represents a revolutionary upgrade to traditional mining energy infrastructure. It precisely solves the core pain points for industrial users in areas with an unstable grid or weak grid areas, transforming intermittent renewable energy into a safe, economical, and reliable primary power source.

This project fully demonstrates the flexibility and reliability of modular energy storage systems in the field of industrial battery energy storage systems, as well as the critical role of intelligent PCS in building hybrid energy storage systems. It provides a highly valuable reference model—an energy storage solution for mining sites—for global projects facing similar challenges, such as energy storage for remote industrial sites and island microgrids, leading the mining industry toward a more efficient, low-carbon, and sustainable future