Today’s agricultural businesses are under growing pressure to meet rising consumer demand while improving efficiency and controlling costs. As a result, energy is no longer simply a utility, it’s a strategic asset that directly influences productivity and profitability.
At Sungrow, we’re seeing the agricultural sector move beyond investing in solar alone. They’re adopting energy strategies tailored to their farm’s needs, whether that’s supporting reliable irrigation, reducing peak electricity costs or maximising self-generated energy.
The reason is simple: no two farming operations have the same energy profile, so no two should have the same energy strategy.
This approach is demonstrated through Sungrow’s collaboration with Herholdt’s Group and Hybrid Energy X on a four-site agricultural energy project in South Africa. Although part of the same farming operation, each site presented a different energy challenge.
At sites One and Two: limited grid capacity and an unstable supply meant the farm could not consistently operate its irrigation and booster pumps at full capacity. Sungrow PowerStack systems were integrated with 125kW Sungrow grid tied inverters and ATS isolation transformers to supplement available grid power with solar and battery energy. At Site One, four PowerStack units provide 916kWh of battery storage to support the farm’s large irrigation pumps, while at Site Two, the system provides additional capacity for the booster pumps. Together, the solutions support stable pumping even when grid supply is interrupted.
At sites Three and Four, sufficient grid capacity allowed the irrigation pumps to operate at full capacity, shifting the focus to reducing electricity costs through peak shaving. At Site Three, solar power was used to charge the batteries during the day, with stored energy discharged during peak morning and evening periods, providing up to 14 hours of operation and greater stability during grid outages. At Site Four, two PowerStack systems, two 125kW Sungrow grid tied inverters, an isolation transformer and 400 solar panels were deployed to support the booster pumps, using stored solar energy during peak periods to reduce electricity costs and improve grid and pump stability
Together, these four sites demonstrate how the same farming operation can require different energy strategies. From supplementing limited grid capacity and maintaining irrigation during outages to peak shaving and reducing electricity costs, the project shows how solar and energy storage can be configured around the specific operational needs of a farm.
The result is more stable irrigation, lower operating costs and greater energy independence, with all four sites engineered, completed and commissioned within six weeks.
This project reinforces a fundamental shift in modern agriculture: the value of an energy solution lies not simply in the technology itself, but in how effectively it supports a farm’s operational priorities. As farming continues to evolve, tailored energy strategies will play an increasingly important role in improving productivity, optimising efficiency and creating long term business value. At Sungrow, we believe that’s how modern agriculture should be powered.
Written by Nigel Sun, President of Sungrow Sub-Saharan Africa