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WILLIAMSON Tea has unveiled East Africa’s largest solar project at its Changoi Tea Farm in Bomet County. The solar system will cut Williamson Tea’s energy costs by around 30 percent, supplying clean solar electricity during the daytime to meet most of the tea processing factory’s energy demand. Williamson Tea’s system will reduce the need for grid electricity and the consumption of diesel when backup energy production is required. This innovative use of solar engineering is only the sixth system of its kind to be built in the world. Commenting on Williamson Tea’s solar farm, Dr Dan Davies, Director for Solarcentury locally in East Africa said, “We applaud Williamson Tea for investing in solar to support the company’s sustainable business growth. In a country blessed with plentiful irradiance and land space, solar is a perfect solution and reduces dependence on fossil fuels while improving energy security.” Leading solar energy company Solarcentury was selected as the lead designer, supplier and installer of the unique PV system, and is also responsible for the operation and maintenance. A British company and expanding internationally, Solarcentury is committed to bringing the many benefits of solar to Kenya. Solarcentury’s 15 years’ experience and engineering excellence is being invested in Kenya through its Nairobi office, headed up by Dr Dan Davies, one of Solarcentury’s founders. The solar panels will work in parallel with the grid to reduce the need for imported power to the site, but will also provide a back-up supply alongside standby generators when the grid is down. The solar farm is part of Williamson Tea’s wider commitment to renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions, which includes initiatives to install solar street lamps for local communities and solar-powered heat exchangers at its factories. Frans van den Heuvel, Solarcentury chief executive, said the scheme showed how solar PV technologies could help transform emerging economies and meet a rising demand for power without increasing carbon emissions. “Sustainable energy sources are becoming more critical especially as the cost of fossil fuel energy continues to rise globally,” he said in a statement. He said Williamson Tea’s solar farm in Changoi was a shining example of the opportunity for solar in Africa and the emerging markets to help meet the increasing energy demands of growing economies. “By choosing solar, Williamson Tea is not only investing in the company’s sustainable future but also local people and the future of the tea farming industry in Kenya,” he said. Williamson Tea has over 140 years experience in the art of growing, selecting and blending fine teas.