meeco to provide clean energy to the Caribbean, Africa, Sri Lanka and other markets
Internationality, technical know how and business expertise have recently gathered at one place: the Spanish coastal town Alicante, where several members of The meeco Group team – arriving from India, Switzerland, Antigua, Germany, Italy, Greece and many other counties had come together to exchange ideas on future plans, business strategies as well as country management but also to share some quality time together.
The review of the successful business year 2015 was at the top of the agenda. Through the execution of the first phase, the initial 3 MWp sun2live solar PV plant at the V.C. Bird International Airport Antigua, realized through meeco’s UK-based joint venture PV Energy Limited, meeco established itself again as a highly professional renewable energy provider and business partner in the Caribbean as well as for the whole of the South American market. During the short operations of less than four months – started as of the commissioning on December 5, 2015 – the installation has already generated approximately 1,400,000 kWh and thus, an additional turnover of more than 575.000 US dollar for the government and the people of Antigua and Barbuda. “The production of the solar power plant is exceeding our expectations and forecasts”, states Chief Technical Officer Thomas Beindorf. “Besides the economical success of the system it already ensured the avoidance of about 1,100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and hereby contributes to the sustainable energy targets of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.”
3 MWp photovoltaic power plant at the V.C. Bird International Airport of Antigua
In the coming weeks and months further solar energy projects – namely more than 50 sun2roof installations on public buildings and a second larger sun2live ground mounted solar power plant – totalling to an overall capacity of 10 MWp will be implemented in Antigua and on its neighbouring island Barbuda.
Rooftop solar installation, Antigua
Due to its great potential concerning the successful establishment of solar energy solutions, Africa represents a second key market for meeco. Currently the team focuses on Botswana, Zambia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Zimbabwe and South Africa. “We submitted various offers in these countries and participated in several promising tenders”, explains Chief Operating Officer Sebastian Bovensiepen. “In South Africa we are engaged in very advanced negotiations with a company, which plans to equip its shopping malls with solar energy.”
In the whole region but especially in Zimbabwe a serious energy crisis has an adverse affect on industries and private households. A recently founded meeco joint venture with the full range electrical products and services provider Powerspeed Electrical strives to tackle this challenge. The most sought solar solution is the energy management system sun2safe, which perfectly attends to the energy requirements of private households and other small to medium-sized facilities. meeco has already delivered 19 sun2safe units in the Zimbabwean market.
Rooftop solar panels at Powerspeed, Zimbabwe
Another market with substantial future potential for meeco, which has been reviewed and discussed within the meeting in Alicante is Sri Lanka, where the group has established a joint venture with the Hayleys Group. “As an international and successful company with twelve different business sectors Hayleys is an excellent partner for the development of sun2live and sun2roof projects”, states the COO. “We are in final preparations for the installation of a first 60 kWp sun2roof solar energy facility on the roof of the Hayleys headquarters in Colombo, which will be utilised as a show case installation within the joint venture for clients.”
The strategical orientation of meeco as forward-thinking clean energy company with a strong international focus will drive the team also in this year. “Besides the daily communication via telephone, e-mail and Skype it is important to ensure team meetings on a regular basis to give the colleagues the opportunity to meet face-to-face and spend time together. Therefor we have called for this meeting in Alicante and we are happy that we have successfully managed to discuss strategies and new products and also reviewed procedures and eventually agreed, how to further improve the performance of the group in order to strive for even better results in 2016 and the years to come”, concludes Chief Financial Officer Konstantin Wolf.
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