Eden Village Prep: Reliability Rewired with Solar Refi
When you walk the grounds of Eden Village Prep in Salt Rock, South Africa, you feel something special. There’s an intention there, not just to teach, but to care. To heal. To give students and families a space where learning happens without interruption, where medical support is steady, and where the lights don’t flicker out at the worst moment.
They believed solar could help with that. So they installed a 70 kWp solar system and paired it with 187 kWh of battery storage. The idea was solid. The execution… less so.
The Struggle Beneath the Surface
They still had blackouts. The diesel generators were firing up almost as often as they’d hoped to retire them. Peak hours remained expensive. And as for support? It was patchy. They’d been left with a system that simply didn’t live up to its promise.
Part of the trouble was visible: inverters that weren’t sized correctly, battery and inverter rooms that didn’t follow safety norms, and installations that were makeshift rather than durable. More trouble was less visible: panels underperforming, technical inefficiencies going unmonitored. And every outage, every surprise diesel bill, chipped away at confidence.
Eden Village didn’t just want solar. They wanted solar that worked when it needed to, reliably, predictably, and without constant firefighting.
The Turnaround with Solar Refi
Rather than walking away from their existing system, Eden Village partnered with Candi through Solar Refi, our solution for businesses that already have solar, but not the results they deserve.
Here’s what that meant in practice:
Unlocked financial flexibility: Eden Village benefits from a predictable fixed service fee with no hidden costs or unexpected charges, ensuring complete transparency and control over their energy spend.
Optimised system performance: From correcting inverter sizing and improving battery integration to implementing key safety upgrades, we turned a problematic installation into a smooth, reliable energy source.
Eliminated operational risks: Eden Village no longer has to manage service contractors or worry about system breakdowns. We now take on full responsibility - from performance to maintenance - so they can focus on what they do best.
With Solar Refi, Eden Village’s underperforming system became a plant that delivers consistent value, keeps the lights on, and generates savings that had once been out of reach.
What Changed for Eden Village
Since Candi’s intervention, Eden Village now benefits from a fully reliable and seamlessly integrated solar-battery-generator system. The campus now sees a sharp reduction in constant breakdowns, heavy diesel use, and operational disruptions that once drained time and resources. Richard Flamand, Country Lead at Candi Solar, explains: “Reliability was the key for Eden Village, and Candi has delivered it. The system is now doing about 90% of what we need it to do, saving them money during expensive peak hours and giving them confidence that the campus can run smoothly. There’s still some fine-tuning to reach all the goals we’ve set for the system. This is a long-term partnership, and we’ll continue to monitor, optimise, and make sure every need and expectation of Eden Village is fully met.”
Candi’s solution has reshaped how the campus manages energy. The transformation shows up clearly in the results:
- Reliable performance: Uninterrupted power supply, critical for both the school and the campus to operate efficiently.
- Reduced diesel reliance: Major savings from cutting down manual generator usage.
- Maximised savings: The battery now discharges during peak tariff times and recharges when electricity is cheapest, directly lowering costs.
- Peace of mind: With Candi’s asset management, Eden Village benefits from fast response times, accurate system intelligence, and long-term confidence in their energy future.
Testimonial
For Eden Village, the impact of working with Candi was felt immediately. As Manager & Owner, Haden Keeton explains, “We chose Candi because of the quality of their people - both their team and installer. They brought deep knowledge, clear expertise, and a no-compromise approach to getting things right. Turnaround times were good, pricing was competitive, and critically, they had local support - which is essential for keeping our operations running.”
Eden Village is proof that the right partner makes all the difference. With Candi’s Solar Refi, they gained a dependable system, financial flexibility, and the assurance that performance is always protected.
Don’t let system flaws hold back your solar investment.
Talk to us today, book a free Solar Check-Up, and unlock the performance your business deserves.
The challenge
Lower electricity costs
In 2025 alone, the system delivered:
R622,159
in electricity savings
1.4 GWH
of clean energy generated
1,800 TONNES
of CO₂ emissions avoided
The result is not only a more resilient operation, but a more cost-efficient and sustainable one too
One Successful Phase Deserves Another
The performance of the first phase gave Bracken Timbers the confidence to go further.
Following its success, the company approved an additional 540 kWp expansion. Once complete, the expanded system is expected to increase annual electricity savings to approximately R1.1 million, while covering even more of the sawmill's daytime energy needs.
Every time the power went out, production slowed. Delivery schedules became harder to maintain, customer commitments came under pressure, and the disruption extended far beyond the factory floor - to suppliers, customers and the company's 1,500-strong workforce.
The team explored generating electricity using its own wood waste, including sawdust and bark. While it was technically possible, building, operating and maintaining an energy plant would require specialist expertise outside its core business.
Bracken Timbers knew what it needed: a reliable energy solution and an experienced partner to make it happen.
The solution
Candi Solar designed and financed a 1.5 MWp solar installation through its Performance-Linked Instalment Sale (PLIS) model.
In simple terms, Bracken Timbers did not need to make a heavy upfront investment or take on the operational risk of managing a solar plant.
Instead, the business pays for the energy the system generates, while Candi takes responsibility for its performance, maintenance and long-term optimisation.
That means the Bracken Timbers team can remain focused on what it does best: producing quality structural timber - while its solar system gets on with producing reliable, more affordable energy.
The impact
Production Keeps Moving
The solar system was integrated with Bracken Timbers' existing backup generators, helping the sawmill continue operating for full nine-hour shifts during load shedding.
So, while grid interruptions continue to bring production to a halt for many manufacturers, Bracken Timbers can keep its mill running, stay on schedule and continue fulfilling customer orders.
Most importantly, this increased energy stability helps protect consistent employment for more than 1,500 people.
“
The partnership has delivered exactly what was promised. As the solar system operates over time, the financial and operational benefits will only continue to grow.
George Johnson,
Director, Sawmill & Charcoal,
Bracken Timbers
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