Kathy Gibson reports – The solar photo voltaic (PV) industry is a key player in the development of clean energy.
This has seen the rapid growth of the renewable energy environment, driven by carbon neutrality, energy sovereignty, and business value.
Xia Hesheng, president of Huawei Southern Africa digital power business, emphasises that the cost of solar has dropped dramatically from about 38 US cents 10 years ago to less than 4 US cents today.
“Demand is growing very fast, with PC installations expected to grow from 262 GW in 2022 to 460 GW in 2025 and 630 GW in 2030.”
In addition, new storage installations will grow from 39 GWh to 212 GWh in 2025 and 500 GWh by 2030.
Demand is growing quickly as well, with electric vehicles and electric vehicle chargers set for exponential growth over the next seven years.
In South Africa, solar PV demand hit 1GW in just two months this year (January and February).
Quality needs to be an over-riding concern for solar PV, Hesheng adds. This includes product quality, which should last well past 25 years, delivery quality, and service quality.
He says Huawei builds quality into the entire process, from product development to delivery and continuous warranty service throughout their lifecycle.
Indeed, he adds that Huawei currently boasts the best global performance for solar inverters with the highest reliability and lowest failure rate – good for a lifespan of 25 years and more.
Safety is an overriding concern for utilities, industry, businesses and households, so Huawei incorporates several safety features in its products to safeguard equipment and prevent peripheral damage, Hesheng says.
As renewables become more widespread, the power of the existing grid is reduced, which actually makes the threat of blackouts more real.
“In Africa our power grid is not strong and renewables will have an impact on it,” Hesheng says.
To address this, Huawei aims to ensure grid stability by using renewable energy sources to adapt, support, and enhance the existing grid.