At our South African facilities, we have taken important steps towards a greener future by harnessing the power of the sun. As the only supplier in AIDC’s Automotive Supplier Park and the Supplier Park of the East London Industrial Development Zone to use solar panels, we are paving the way for sustainable and emission-reduced production. The newly installed photovoltaic systems will bring us one step closer to achieving our sustainability goals and our ultimate goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions.
What else makes this project special? We spoke to Simon Pella, Senior Manager Procurement at Yanfeng and project leader. Simon mentioned that aside from sustainability, it’s important to be independent from brownouts in South Africa.

Simon, what exactly are brownouts and why is it so important to have our own solar panels installed for the production plants, especially here in South Africa?

“Load shedding or brownouts is when Eskom, South Africa’s government-run power supplier, cuts off electricity to specific neighborhoods because of limited generating capacity. This leads to planned blackouts lasting up to several hours, causing problems for both homes and businesses. The reliance on non-renewable resources such as coal means high environmental impact. Switching to solar energy reduces dependence on the electrical grid and lowers one’s carbon footprint. Renewable energy options help avoid potential cost hikes and supply chain concerns connected to traditional energy sources.”

How much CO2 will the new system save per year and how much electricity will it produce annually?

“Estimates suggest that these installations will prevent 2,559 metric tons of CO2 emissions each year. In addition, they’ll produce about 2,843,019 kilowatt-hours of clean electricity during their initial year of operations, and we plan to expand the use of solar energy to other locations in South Africa.”

How long did it take to complete the project phase for each plant? Have there been any specific roadblocks in South Africa that you experienced?

“The implementation of solar systems in plants located in South Africa was completed efficiently by Solar Africa. On average, installation per plant took approximately three months. However, one major challenge encountered during the process was obtaining permission to place solar panels on rooftops. This approval process lasted over a year as the team worked to negotiate the agreements. Despite these challenges, Yanfeng has become a pioneer in promoting renewable energy sources within the suppliers’ park.”
To read more through our 2022 ESG report, click here.