Local farmer achieves goal of getting off power grid by harnessing hydro-energy

Joubert and his wife, Leonore originally hail from Eldoret, Kenya but settled in Phalaborwa in the 1960s. They are permanent residents of Georges Valley since 1995 where they farm on small scale with merino sheep, macadamias, avocados, and eucalyptus trees. He also operates a water bottling business, Nzuri, and delivers sweet mountain water to local businesses in Magoebaskloof and the surrounding areas.

“I set the initial goal of using only hydro-energy in 1985, more than thirty years ago. We tried several systems but the previous attempts were not stable,” says Joubert. He tried a waterwheel and other patents but finally found the right system for the task when he met with engineers from WD Power, hydroelectric power specialists based in Johannesburg.

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Joubert’s hydro-power system starts at a 200mm pipeline leading down from a small dam for 45m to a hydro station. Here a micro-hydro-turbine is fed with 12 litres of water per second which in turn generates 4kW of electricity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The micro-hydro-turbine generates 380V which is converted to 500V DC power. This leads to inverters where the electrical current powers the household with 220V and charges lithium-ion batteries to store excess electricity.

“We have a cellphone application to monitor electricity consumption vs generation, and can switch the turbine off when the batteries are fully charged. The experts at WD Power can also maintain the system remotely,” explains Joubert. “I think this has massive potential for the whole area leading down from Ebenezer Dam through Georges Valley down to the Letaba River. Farmers can generate their own electricity wherever they have water and a drop in elevation or a waterfall,” Joubert concludes.