Energy concept
As early as 1991, Ndanda Abbey started to invest in renewable energies with the construction of a dam and an associated hydropower plant. A public power grid was not available at the time, and up to this day it is unreliable and not suitable to supply sensitive areas like the hospital. In recent years, however, the load has increased as a result of the installation of modern equipment such as the oxygen production plant, dialysis machines and computer tomograph. Thanks to generous support from our friends in Europe and the USA, we were able to install a photovoltaic system with 300 kWp and a battery with a capacity of 399 kWh. The existing turbine and a new, efficient diesel generator could be integrated into the system.
The electronic control system ensures that the demand is mainly covered by photovoltaics during the day. In the evening and at night, the turbine takes over most of the load. The battery stabilizes the system and balances out fluctuations: When the sun is shining and the load is low, it is charged; when a cloud passes or the load suddenly increases, it supplies the required energy. The generator only switches on when the sun and water cannot supply enough power and the batteries are empty.
Early in 2024, we managed to install additional solar panels with a capacity of 62.5 kWp on the roofs of the hospital.
With this system we are currently able to generate between 90% and 100% of the load from renewable energy sources. .
