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References

Merl Group has an excellent track record in planning and implementing of renewable energy projects – specifically photovoltaic solutions in rural off-grid areas in Sub Sahara Africa. During the last 10 years approx. 40 rural villages in Senegal and Tanzania have been electrified by Merl as general contractor with photovoltaic mini-grids. Between 2016 and 2018 the Group built and implemented a 20 MW photovoltaic park in Kahone/Senegal, a photovoltic system that operates a water pump for agricultural irrigation in Egypt and realized a rooftop solar project in Ghana. The following list shows some of the most important references of the Merl Group in recent years:

20 MW Photovoltaic Park in Kahone, Senegal

Year:

2016-2018

Capacity:

20 MWp

Location:

Kahone, Senegal

In 2016-2018 Merl Group built and implemented a 20 MW Photovoltaic Park in Kahone/Kaolack, Senegal. For this project Merl also built up the financing together with an Austrian export credit agency. The Park project’s aim is to generate solar energy and feed electricity into the national grid.The PV park extends over an area of 20 ha and feeds into the national grid via a 33kV transmission line.


Photovoltaic System for Agricultural Irrigation in Egypt

Year:

2017

Capacity:

61,88 kWp

Location:

El-Wahat, Egypt

In 2017 Merl Group built and implemented a 61,88 kWp Photovoltaic system on a Sekem farm in the El-Bahhariya oasis in El-Wahat, Egypt. The PV system operates a 37 kW water pump for agricultural irrigation. Prior to our installation of the PV system, the water pump was operated by a diesel generator, which is no longer needed. This project was carried out in cooperation between Sekem Energy GmbH, bfi, the law firm Sattler & Schanda and Merl Group and funded by the Austrian Development Agency.


Photovoltaic Rooftop Systems in Ghana

Year:

2016-2018

Capacity:

ca. 1000 persons and

43 companies

Location:

Ghana

In 2016 until 2018 Merl Group supplied  photovoltaic rooftop systems to Ghana. During the project's duration approximately 1000 individual persons and 43 local companies gained access to renewable energy through our PV rooftop systems. This project was carried out in cooperation between Merl Group, NortLite Solar Ltd. and EnTri Consulting GmbH and funded by the Austrian Development Agency.


Rural Electrification in Tanzania

Year:

2014-2015

Capacity:

210 kWp

Location:

Rural villages in Tanzania

In 2014-2015 Merl Group electrified 10 rural villages in Tanzania by implementing a total amount of 14 photovoltaic mini-grids. The Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development Project's aim was to support Tanzania’s efforts to raise levels of social development and economic growth by increasing access to affordable electricity in rural areas. Merl Group installed photovoltaic facilitiesin villages that electrify up to 65 houses,sanitary stations, a hospital, a pharmacyand a school. Assuming that every village counts 65 households and every household contains 6 people, the project accomplished to connect ca. 5.450 people to the power grid.


Rural Electrification in Senegal (2012)

Year:

2012-2013

Capacity:

285 kWp

Location:

Rural villages in Senegal

In 2012 Merl Group as general contractor secured the order from the country of Senegal to provide 19 villages in Senegal with electricity by means of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The villages are supplied with 15 kW 400 V 50Hz three-phase alternating current by means of a PV system.  This means that the basic needs of lights, a refrigerator and communication is covered for at least 65 households, schools, health care centers, sanitary stations, churches and mosques per village. The sun provides the power that is stored in ship batteries. From the direct current in the battery, the electronic generates 400 V 50 Hz three-phase alternating current—existing diesel aggregates and wind turbines are able to be combined with the system.


Rural Electrification in Senegal (2011)

Year:

2011-2012

Capacity:

120 kWp

Location:

Rural villages in Senegal

In 2011 Merl Group as general contractor secured the order from the country of Senegal to provide 8 villages in the Sine-Saloum region with electricity by means of photovoltaic (PV) systems.  The villages are supplied with 15 kW 400 V 50Hz three-phase alternating current by means of a PV system. This means that the basic needs of lights, a refrigerator and communication is covered for at least 50 households, schools, health care centers, sanitary stations, churches and mosques per village. The sun provides the power that is stored in ship batteries. From the direct current in the battery, the electronic generates 400 V 50 Hz three-phase alternating current—existing diesel aggregates and wind turbines are able to be combined with the system.


Photovoltaic Facade on the Forestry School in Bruck/Mur

Year:

2011

Capacity:

385m2 PV facade

Location:

Bruck/Mur, Austria

The façades of public and commercial buildings are often made of stone or metal. A PV façade is not any more expensive and provides you with electricity at the same time. Photovoltaic modules can also be made to be semitransparent; in the summer months the module keeps the direct sunrays from coming into the room and in the winter months it blocks the UV rays—and it provides you with energy at the same time!


District Heating Plant in Bruck/Mur

Year:

2008

Capacity:

19 MW

Location:

Bruck/Mur, Austria

8 MW + combined industrial waste heat 11MW from Norske Skog Bruck GmbH. The facility in Bruck an der Mur has an operating level of 19 MW and a route system of 18 km. It was built by us at a record time of six months in a living city, complete with superstructure work, underground work, pipelaying, boiler house installation and the electrical systems. In order to be operated profitably, district heating plants require a sophisticated electronic control system.  Every consumer can be regulated and billed directly from the central office.  In the case of delay in payment the operating level can be influences accordingly.


Schiestlhaus

Year:

2004

Capacity:

7 kWp + 16 kWp

Location:

Hochschwab, Austria

2.300m location altitude

PV system and combined heat and power unit (chp) for the energy basis for the Schiestlhaus, an alpine hotel in 2300m above sea level at Mt. Hochschwab, Austria. CO² neutral since it is already stored in the plant and after use is reintroduced into the cycle; completely self-sustaining with Merl Group. This project is a hybrid system, with AC coupling and integrating the CHP on its generator side to the whole system.