Location and Requirements
Olarro (a Maasai term meaning 'buffalo') Camp is perched on a vantage
point to the west of the scenic Loita Hills, offering superb panoramic
views of the Maasai Mara plains. This ecotourist camp collaborates closely
with the Maasai Community whose cattle graze along the hills. Olarro camp
comprises of eight cottages tucked amidst the bush, built in African style
with traditional grass-thatch roofs. Each cottage has a private shower
and facilities. Catering to a maximum of 16 persons, this intimate camp
offers a personalised service to visitors.
Here, there were no doubts - the owners were 100% certain they wanted to
be on solar energy from day one. It is not a coincidence that
Archer’s Tours and Travel were the first in Africa to install and rely
on solar energy in their camps already in 1988. Grumeti river in the Serengeti,
Majo Moto and Mnemba Island near Zanzibar were models for others to follow
when generators were the undisputed choice for most 'conservationists'
in their safari camps. Rich of that experience and confident in the technology,
Archers management had no doubts. And like they had done since 1988, they asked
E-Solar to design and install a system to power the camp requirements entirely
on renewable energy. The loads to be powered are as follows:
43 Energy saving lights
02 TVs, Videos and Satellite Dish
01 Refrigerator
02 Freezers
02 Swimming pool pumps
01 Computer
01 Printer
Hot
water systems cater for all the hot water requirements of the camp.
In addition to solar energy the considerable wind energy available at night
coming up the Hills could be exploited and wind generators have been installed
to maximise that potential.
The camp is meant to be powered entirely by
solar and wind even during cloudy weather. For this reason, a large battery
bank was required as the provision for a standby generator has been completely
excluded by the management.
System Composition
44 H100 Watts E-Solar Module
04 40 Amps Charge Controllers
01 3000 Watts inverter
01 7200 Ah Rolls 4000 Solar Battery Bank
02 Whisper 600 Watts Wind Generators
08 200 Litres Solar hot water systems
Accessories
Clients Comments
As the first Safari camps company in Africa to embrace renewable energy
technologies, already in 1988 all our Kenyan and Tanzanian camps were fully
powered by solar energy. Therefore it was not a difficult decision to go
renewable again for our last camp Olarro given the lack of electricity
lines anywhere close by but especially for our commitment to the environmentand the industry we operate in.
We went to E-Solar as we did 12 years ago
and we have been very happy with their professional advice and follow up
all the way from planning to implementation. Combination of solar and wind
energy is very clever since the wind generators provide a cost effective
backup, reducing dependence on standby generators during periods of cloudy
weather or excessive load demand. Especially in view of the fact that we
tap whatever wind energy we can get during the 24 hour period unlike the
solar panels, which can produce energy only during daytime.
The whole system works to our complete satisfaction for the electricity
and the hot water supplied by the system regardless of the weather. In
fact, most of the time we have to be careful in mixing cold and hot water
to avoid getting burned. We operate the system to power all the reception,
restaurant and bar areas as well as the offices, shop, kitchen and stores.
The guests rooms, managers' houses, staff quarters and swimming pool power
needs.
The system initial investment was not cheap but we reckon it will
pay back in due course serving environmentally conscious clients with no
running costs whatsoever, no hassles and worries on logistics to run, service
and maintain generators, unspoilt surrounding where the sound of silence
is broken by nature alone. Our clients enjoy power 24 hours a day and do
not need to light up kerosene lamps in the evenings or at night for whatever
reason, guaranteeing them the best compromise between unspoiled nature
and all the comforts of their daily life wherever they come from.
It's incredible how we are so totally independent and rely only on
nature to do so. It fills us with pride and joy to operate in this beautiful
environment, help keeping it this way and our clients have it all. We were
right 12 years ago and we are right again in believing in nature and working
with nature. We can only hope others will follow in seeing and living this
incredible undeniable truth.
Contact us online or telephone +61 8 6363 5420 to discuss YOUR power and energy
needs today.
