Daystar Power Group

In our latest Daystar Employee Spotlight, we’re featuring Elizabeth Blewudzi, Field Service Manager and pillar of our Ghana team. If you follow us, you know that we stand by our 99.9% system uptime. We couldn’t do it without Elizabeth and her team who work behind the scenes to ensure all systems – not just in Ghana but across West Africa – are running smoothly. Over her nearly 5 years at Daystar, Elizabeth has worked her way up to management. She first started out answering the phones as a customer communications specialist. It was an important job, she stressed, as it prepared her for field service. If you don’t understand customers’ challenges, you can’t find effective solutions. On a typical day, Elizabeth will first check the remote monitoring system to check for any issues with our solar systems: is the site live and communicating? Are there any faults with inverters or high voltage from the grid? If an inverter is on but not working, why is it not producing power? In case of any system issues, Elizabeth will assign technicians and schedule the necessary maintenance. Once the daily check is done and work teams assigned, she prepares daily and monthly performance reports for clients. Elizabeth is proud of keeping our systems up and running. In one particularly complicated case, she realised that a system’s inverter was not feeding into the electrical distribution point due to high voltage from the grid. After a week of doggedly following up with the ECG (the Ghanaian grid), the issue was resolved in less than one week. “Our clients refer us to other clients due to our performance,” she said. Two months ago, Elizabeth successfully defended her Master of Philosophy thesis in Renewable Energy Technologies from her alma mater Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. In her thesis, she analysed the effect of grid voltage unbalance and fluctuations on the PV voltage of grid-tied solar systems using MATLAB simulation and machine learning prediction. Having successfully balanced her career and higher education, did she have any advice to recent female engineering graduates looking to go into renewable energy? She said: • Know what field of renewable energy (solar, hydro, biomass) you want to pursue  • Get a mentor  • Read, read, read  • Join fellowships and expand your knowledge of different renewable energy technologies We’re incredibly lucky to have such dynamic and talented people on our team like Elizabeth.

We pride ourselves on delivering customised solar solutions that fit your specific energy needs. What are the different steps in the design of our solar systems? Here's is a step-by-step breakdown of our process: 1️⃣ Audit & site assessment: First our team conducts a site audit. We carefully evaluate available ground, roof, or parking lot space to identify locations for solar installations. 2️⃣ Energy consumption analysis: We analyse your existing energy consumption (kWh) to properly size your solar system for peak load. We make recommendations on how you can save on energy costs by switching to energy efficient appliances and lighting. 3️⃣ Sizing and component selection: We ensure the system is tailored to your specific needs, optimising its performance. For example, we’ve noticed many bank clients in Nigeria install oversized gensets that only operate at 80% capacity. We provide the right sized generators that match consumption. 4️⃣ Performance simulation: Using our software, we then simulate the system's performance to guarantee highest energy production. 5️⃣ Peak hour optimisation: We focus on peak hours when energy consumption is at its highest. We adjust the system size based on available panel space to maximise your solar investment. Are you ready to add solar into your energy mix? Contact us: https://lnkd.in/d5SVA7Z9

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria!

Last April, we shared that we commissioned a 250kWp solar system for the Arla Dairy Farm in Kaduna State, Nigeria.    Arla has been and remains very instrumental to the development of Nigeria’s dairy industry, focused on increasing local milk production by working with dairy farmers.   With ample roof space from the dairy barn and other buildings, plus plentiful sunshine, the farm in Damau has great potential to solarise its operations.   We installed 455 550W panels mostly on the milk collection depot, reinforced all the skylights on the roof, connected the cabling to the inverter room to convert DC power from panels to AC power, before last linking the inverter room to the electrical distribution point.   The best part is that Arla can increase its installed solar capacity because its roof space can accommodate enough solar panels to generate up to 1.5MW peak.   We’re incredibly proud to work with pioneering clients like Arla Farm.   To read more about our solar installation and Arla Farm’s big plans for Nigeria’s dairy industry (including fascinating details on cow genetics), check out their newsletter from earlier this year:   https://lnkd.in/gtSTwvwg Arla Foods #solarpower #solarenergy

In 2022, we installed solar at PRIMLAKS - For Better Lives Lagos factory, helping the company to save on energy costs and reduce their carbon emissions. Swipe the image below to see our rooftop solar system and our delivered energy savings for Primlaks. To learn more, check out our blog post: https://lnkd.in/gduru-vB

We count ourselves lucky that we have the opportunity to partner with and support African manufacturers leading the transition to renewable energy and pioneering sustainability in their communities. In Ghana, one of our bigger projects is a 1.6MW solar installation for Ghandour Cosmetics Ltd, the leading cosmetics manufacturer in the country. Just like Ghandour was a trailblazer in creating demand for ‘Made in Ghana’ African beauty products, it is now championing sustainable energy across its value chain. We love to see it. 

It’s Friday and we’re back to tell more stories of our trainees from our Women in Power Training (WIPT) cohort that started in February. ✨ Let us introduce you to Chidera Chidi. Chidera was born in Umuahia, Abia State, where she grew up in a close-knit family. Influenced by her brothers, she loved tinkering with electrical appliances, which would later spark her interest in engineering. One day, she attempted to fix her mother's charger. But, after just 30 seconds, the charger blew up. She was shortly banned from making any electrical repairs in the household, but it didn’t extinguish her interest. She became even more determined to learn from her mistake, and improve her ability to fix things. With no immediate family members in the field, Chidera found inspiration in her godfather, an electrical engineer. She went on to study electrical engineering at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture in Abia State. Chidera's passion for renewable energy led her to the WIPT programme. "When I saw the ad on LinkedIn, I was eager to apply. The training not only aligns with my goal of reducing the world’s carbon footprint but also offers a chance to work with talented women in the field," she said. After only a month in the programme, Chidera praised its structure. "The training is tough but very informative and well-paced. It's not just about dumping information on you; you get to practice what you learn. They teach us skills like how to make sales and negotiate, which I never thought I'd need for engineering, but turns out they're pretty important," she said. She feels like the programme has pushed her out of her comfort zone and helped to build her confidence. “I feel lucky to be in an environment where I’m working alongside amazing and talented women. It’s impressive to see how everyone is willing to help and I’m confident I’ll be better by the end of the programme than I was when I started,” she said. Chidera is most excited about field and sales engineering rotations, aiming to broaden her skillset and become a more effective team player. We’re thrilled to have motivated and talented women engineers, like Chidera, on our team. 

Did you know that our systems are fully financed? Clients only pay for electricity consumed every month with zero upfront costs. We've got you covered with a range of financing options tailored to meet your unique needs: 1️⃣ Power-as-a-Service (PaaS): We provide continuous power through long-term contracts for our hybrid solar systems with diesel/gas generators or battery storage. Clients pay a flat monthly fee and no upfront costs. 2️⃣ Solar-as-a-service (SaaS): We design, build, and operate solar systems that can power daytime load and offer cost savings of up to 30%. Clients pay a kilowatt/hour tariff for electricity consumed with no upfront costs. SaaS is also under a long-term contract. 3️⃣ Lease-to-own: You pay a monthly fee until you eventually own the solar system over time. Are you ready to make the switch to solar? Contact us: https://lnkd.in/d5SVA7Z9 

To our clients, partners, and stakeholders: our Nigeria HQ has moved. Our new location is 33b Mobolaji Johnson Ave, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. 

This week we’re introducing a new trainee from our latest Women in Power Training (WIPT) cohort. ✨ Meet Adanze Ogboh. Adanze was born in Lagos but grew up in Kaduna. As both of her parents were engineers, she was exposed to the field early on. Adanze closely watched her mother, a chemical engineer, excel in a male-dominated field, which ignited her interest in engineering. Her father, a mechanical engineer, recognised her interest in science and encouraged her to consider engineering as a career. Driven by a desire to address Nigeria's unstable power supply, Adanze gravitated towards electrical engineering. She graduated with a degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, and is completing her masters in power and machinery. Guided by a mentor who saw solar as the “new gold,” Adanze did her final year project on solar technology, which steered her towards renewable energy. In her academic journey, Adanze often confronted biases firsthand, none more striking than during her industrial training at a power plant. At the site, she often found herself sidelined due to her gender. The final straw came during a site trip. It was thought she couldn’t ride in the back of the pickup truck because she was a woman. After missing out twice, she decided she wasn't going to take it anymore. The third time, she hopped in, determined to prove herself alongside her male colleagues. Joining the WIPT programme has been a revelation for Adanze. She was surprised to see that solar energy could be used to power large companies and corporations. She thought solar could only be used for residential areas. After a month in the programme, Adanze finds WIPT both inspiring and educational. “I love what Daystar is doing because they train you on all the skills you need to excel in renewable energy. I like how they put safety first. Our very first lesson was on health and safety measures at the workplace. I love that they insist that safety should be part of our lives as engineers and not just an afterthought,” she said. Excited for the field service rotation, Adanze is eager to work on projects and gain hands-on experience. With aspirations to contribute to the renewable energy revolution, Adanze looks forward to gaining the expertise necessary to thrive in the field and be a catalyst for change.