Ngwenya Lodge: Powering the Wild with Solar
Set along the Crocodile River, with uninterrupted views into Kruger National Park, Ngwenya Lodge offers something rare: a front-row seat to the wild, without compromise.But behind the scenes, delivering that seamless experience wasn’t always easy.Frequent power outages, rising electricity costs, and heavy reliance on diesel generators made operations unpredictable and expensive. For a lodge built on tranquillity and connection to nature, the hum of generators and the risk of blackouts were constant disruptions.Ngwenya Lodge needed more than just power, a sustainable, long-term solution with certainty.
The Challenge Beneath the Surface
Operating in a remote location comes with inherent energy challenges.
Grid supply was inconsistent, with outages sometimes lasting days. Diesel generators filled the gaps, but at a cost - financially and environmentally. Fuel prices were volatile, logistics were complex, and the noise disrupted the very experience guests came for.
At the same time, the lodge's share block ownership structure - an ownership structure with multiple shareholders- created additional hurdles. Traditional financing options came with restrictive terms, making it difficult to fund a large-scale solar transition.
Ngwenya Lodge needed a solution that could deliver reliability, reduce costs, and work within their financial constraints.
The Solution: Solar + Storage, Structured Right
Ngwenya Lodge partnered with Candi Solar to implement a fully integrated hybrid solar and battery storage system, paired with a customised model for their business's specific needs.
Robust system design
A 994 kWp ground-mounted solar PV system, combined with a 1,367 kWh battery energy storage system (BESS), designed to handle the lodge’s energy demands while ensuring continuity during outages.
Energy independence
The hybrid system significantly reduced reliance on both grid electricity and diesel generators, enabling uninterrupted operations even in extended outages.
Smart financial structuring
Through Candi Solar’s Performance-Linked Instalment Sale (PLIS) model, Ngwenya Lodge unlocked access to South Africa’s Section 12B tax incentive, allowing accelerated depreciation and improving cash flows from day one.
Risk transferred, performance guaranteed
Candi manages system performance and maintenance end-to-end, ensuring the system delivers as expected without adding operational burden on the lodge.
What Changed for Ngwenya Lodge
Since commissioning, the impact has been immediate and measurable.
The lodge now operates with a stable, reliable energy supply, largely independent of grid disruptions. Diesel usage has dropped significantly, reducing both costs and environmental impact.
Richard Flamand, Country Lead at Candi Solar South Africa, explains:
“By integrating a hybrid solar and battery system, we’ve eliminated reliance on unstable grid power and drastically reduced diesel usage. This is not just an environmental win, it’s a strategic move that improves resilience and lowers operational risk.”
The transformation shows up clearly across operations:
● Reliable power: Uninterrupted energy supply, even during extended outages
● Lower energy costs: Immediate savings and long-term tariff stability
● Reduced diesel dependence: Significant drop in generator usage
● Improved guest experience: Silent operations that preserve the natural environment
● Stronger sustainability positioning: Reduced carbon footprint aligned with global travel expectations
Within weeks of commissioning, the system had already generated 64 MWh of solar energy, demonstrating strong performance from the outset.
As Bruce Lywood, Director at Innova Energy Solutions, explains:
“By switching to solar, Ngwenya Lodge achieves long-term savings, sustainability, and a seamless guest experience.”
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A Blueprint for Sustainable Tourism
Ngwenya Lodge demonstrates what’s possible when the right technology meets the right financial model.
With Candi Solar, Ngwenya Lodge now runs on clean, reliable energy, quietly powering every guest experience.
Looking to future-proof your business with solar?
Talk to us today and discover how Candi Solar can structure a solution that works for you.
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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