The University of Cape Town (UCT) and Solarise Africa, together with partners ACES Africa and WEG South Africa, have launched the UCT Faculty of Health Sciences backup power project at the Health Sciences Campus in Observatory.

Designed to secure uninterrupted power for the healthcare, research and teaching facilities, the project also lays the foundation for the integration of renewable energy into the existing power supply in future phases.

Phase 1 delivers a 2.4 MVA battery energy storage system with 4 MWh storage, supported by 1.5 MVA of WEG generators.

A centralised PPC/Scada-based control system has been put in place to ensure seamless operation between battery, generator and any future solar assets.

Phase 2, already in design, will add a 171.6 kWp solar PV array, expected to nullify roughly 230 t of CO₂ a year once operational.

“Ensuring uninterrupted operations and energy resilience across our medical campus is a strategic priority,” says UCT programme management acting director Avi Dhevdath.

“This initiative strengthens the campus’s ability to sustain critical research and teaching activities, guaranteeing operational continuity and supporting UCT’s pursuit of resilience, excellence and world-class infrastructure.”

The university also recognises the opportunity to align resilience with climate action.

“This project delivers both reliability and carbon reduction,” notes UCT environmental sustainability director Manfred Braune.

“By coupling backup with solar readiness, we reduce emissions while strengthening our resilience, precisely the kind of forward-looking investment UCT must make.”