Emperors Palace bets on PV power

Due for completion by August 2016, the project will cover ±7,265m² of roof space and be made up of 3,950 solar panels,18,000 metres of cable, and 37 inverters."At peak production, the plant is expected to generate 15 to 20% of Emperors Palace’s electricity requirement,” said Ed Gluckman, managing director of Terra Firma Solutions, the company installing the plant.

Installing solar panels on Emperors Palace rooftop

Testing the weightiness of the project

However prior to embarking on the project, a detailed study had to be carried out to ensure that the roof could support the weight of the solar panels and associated equipment. As a result, the plant will be split up into smaller plants (arrays), across different roof sections. There was also an analysis of the electrical demand of the site and, due to its scale, it was concluded that all the solar power produced will be utilised by Emperors Palace directly.

Part of sustainability programme

The plant will be a grid-tied solar PV system that will produce power alongside the Ekurhuleni Municipal feed. “Simply put, it means that Emperors Palace will be able to generate a substantial quota of its own power and alleviate its burden on the national power grid significantly. This will equate to approximately R2m saved every year at the current electricity tariffs.” said Nigel Atherton, complex operations executive of the entertainment complex.

The initiative is part of dedicated sustainability programme by the casino owners, Peermont Hotels, Casinos and Resorts, to reduce the group’s energy and water consumption, decrease waste and promote recycling. The overall objective is to continuously reduce any potential negative impact on our natural environment, whilst maintaining and improving the overall experience for our guests,” concluded Atherton.