In 2011, the South African government launched the Renewable Energy Independent Power Procurement Programme (RE-IPPP) which propelled the development of various solar and renewable energy projects in the private sector. This in turn led to a sudden demand for products and services, most of which could only be procured from abroad at the time.

GeoSun founder and CEO, Riaan Meyer, launched the business in 2012. Prior to the launch, Riaan was working at the Stellenbosch University Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES), where he was already providing certain services to local renewable energy projects. His knowledge of the local solar industry was thus already quite advanced. When GeoSun was launched, Riaan and his team had one primary objective which was to provide products and services to the local industry that could previously only be sourced from outside the country.

Equipped with Riaan’s extensive knowledge of the local renewable energy industry, GeoSun started off with a select offering of niche services and products to companies that were developing, constructing and operating large solar projects (5 Mega Watts and above). Twelve years since its inception, and with 14 employees, GeoSun can now provide services and products at every phase of renewable energy projects.

In the development phase:

• Bankable solar resource assessments which include onsite solar measurements
• Wind measurements campaigns with a focus on Light Detection and Ranging LIDARs
• Albedo assessments

In the construction phase:

• The supply and installation of permanent (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition/SCADA connected) weather stations
• Solar PV module testing and inspections (in association with GeoSun’s partner PVinsight)

In the operational phase:

• Weather station calibration and support
• Drone inspections (thermal) of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules (in association with GeoSun’s partner FlySense)

“We recently achieved a 100% penetration of the operating RE-IPPPP solar plants in SA – there is not an operating RE-IPPPP plant that is not making use of at least one of our services or products. Some of our most noteworthy projects include a number of solar measurement campaigns for the World Bank and IFC” – says Meyer.

GeoSun developed the first on-site pyranometer calibration service utilising a mobile lab, a service they now provide in many African countries as well as further abroad. With a lot more renewable energy companies being established, Riaan’s business philosophy is that the timing of one’s service or product plays a vital role in its success, along momentum in and penetration of the applicable industry. Speaking to this, Riaan credits Innovus Technology Transfer Office for its great support role in general, especially during the early years of the company, being associated with the university helped to gain credibility with clients.

Despite their challenges with business banking, GeoSun have managed to overcome many obstacles through the simple belief that to “be customer focused, adaptable and provide innovative solutions, we will be able to play the infinite game”.

Reach out here:

Website: https://geosun.co.za/

Email: [email protected]