Solar energy provider Distributed Power Africa (DPA) has signed a partnership with Varun Beverages. The agreement covers the lease of a 2.5 MWp rooftop solar power plant at the PepsiCo bottling plant in the capital Harare.
Distributed Power Africa (DPA) signs a new contract in Zimbabwe. The Bryanston, South Africa-based solar power provider has signed a 25-year agreement with Indian company Varun Beverages. Under the agreement, DPA will install a 2.5 MWp rooftop solar power plant to power Varun Beverages’ Simon Mazorodze bottling plant in Harare.
The plant fills PepsiCo branded soft drinks. “The implementation of this solar solution will effectively reduce our energy costs, enable us to manage a constant power supply and allow Zimbabwean consumers to enjoy Pepsi products at an affordable price. We expect to save about 2,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year,” says Vijay Bahl, managing director of Varun Beverages Zimbabwe.
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According to DPA, the future solar plant will be capable of supplying 4.1 GWh of electricity per year, making it one of the largest rooftop solar plants built in Zimbabwe to date. But Varun is not the first brewer to choose DPA’s clean power generation solutions.
The Cassava Technologies subsidiary has already installed a 1 MWp solar system on the roof of the factory of Schweppes Africa Holdings, the subsidiary of Schweppes, a Swiss-based soft drink brand. The plant is equipped with 2,446 solar panels and is operated under a 15-year lease agreement.
Jean Marie Takouleu
