Ready, Set, Solar

After 7 years of planning and saving up, we are finally OFF-GRID. With assistance from the Green Tourism Incentive Programme (GTIP) we have installed a 91 panel solar system which powers the entire lodge during the day and a 80 kwh lithium battery backup system, which powers the lodge during the night. Occasionally, it will be assisted with a 60 kva generator, when consumption is excessive or with prolonged cloud cover.

Our primary objective has always been to reduce all consumption, and this has been achieved by conscious use of electricity through staff training and guest awareness. All our appliances are bought with energy-saving in mind, energy-sapping equipment turned off when not in use or fitted with a timer to run at peak times, solar cooking meals outside, retaining heated meals & slow-cooking with a Wonderbag, linen dried with fresh Drakensberg air and buildings designed with air-movement in mind to regulate the temperature.  

Our water is pumped from 120m below the earth’s surface by a pump, which is also powered by the sun. The water then flows into large storage tanks, which have a smart level sensor that ensures it only pumps water when needed & only during the day when the sun powers the panels.

GTIP is a resource efficiency incentive programme managed by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) on behalf of the Department of Tourism, whose objective is to encourage and support private sector tourism enterprises to adopt responsible tourism practices by moving towards the sustainable management and usage of energy and water resources. The installation was done by the All Solar team from Harrismith.

This solar initiative further enforces our commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism, aligning our performance with Fair Trade Tourism.