A new solar and battery hybrid system at Junction Village 1 in Heuweloord, Centurion is already delivering reliable backup power during load shedding and unscheduled outages - without adding to residents’ monthly costs.
Located in an area frequently affected by outages, Junction Village 1 comprises 520 residential units across 20 four-storey walk-up blocks. The complex offers a mix of bonded and rental accommodation, with units owned by both individuals and investors.
Like many affordable housing developments, residents have faced the frustrations of unreliable and unpredictable electricity.
The new system, installed by EPC The Energy Gurus and owned and operated by Decentral Energy, includes a 600 kWp solar PV installation and 780 kWh of battery storage, designed to provide resilience during scheduled load shedding, without increasing monthly costs. Installed across 11 large solar carport structures, the system avoids the complications of working with the disjointed rooftops and provides shaded parking for residents.
Shortly after commissioning, the hybrid system was put to the test - delivering three full hours of uninterrupted backup power at no additional cost to residents during an unscheduled outage.
"We wanted to demonstrate that affordable housing doesn’t need to settle for second-class energy infrastructure," said Tiaan Rademan, Decentral Energy’s Senior Business Development Specialist, who led the project for Decentral Energy. "This system delivers both financial savings and better quality of life - without adding to residents’ monthly costs.”
Beyond energy, the carport-mounted PV layout adds both aesthetic and practical value to the development, improving the environment while maximising solar output.
The success of Junction Village’s hybrid system reinforces the role of decentralised energy in addressing South Africa’s housing and infrastructure challenges - where reliability, cost, and community value must go hand in hand.
You can read more about Decentral Energy’s energy solutions for sectional title schemes and affordable rental accommodation here.
