Distributed energy company Stage Zero has completed a 100 kW solar and battery installation at Addo Wildlife private game reserve, in the Eastern Cape, reducing the reserve’s reliance on grid electricity and its energy costs, while strengthening continuity across its lodge, facilities and daily operations.

The system generates electricity from solar during daylight hours, stores energy in the battery for later use and draws from the grid when required.

This gives the reserve greater control over how it sources and uses electricity while reducing the amount of grid-supplied energy needed over time, Stage Zero says.

Solar meets more than the site’s daytime demand, while stored energy can support evening use and periods of grid interruption. This helps the reserve manage electricity costs with greater certainty and reduces its exposure to an energy system that remains vulnerable to outages and rising tariffs, the company says.

The installation also supports Addo Wildlife’s commitment to responsible tourism and environmental conservation.

Increasing the share of on-site solar-generated electricity reduces the reserve's dependence on conventional grid supply while supporting a guest experience that is more resilient and better aligned with the destination's environmental character.

“Tourism operations need energy systems that reflect the way the site actually works. At Addo Wildlife, the system had to support the rhythm of a working lodge and conservation destination, with demand extending beyond daylight hours.

“Solar generation, battery storage, and grid supply now work together as part of one managed energy solution,” says Stage Zero commercial engineer Shaune Bouwer.

Stage Zero designed the installation around Addo Wildlife’s energy needs. It also provides ongoing support, which helps the reserve maintain the system and protect its performance over time.

Additionally, the project reflects a wider shift in the tourism sector, where energy decisions increasingly affect cost control, operational continuity, and sustainability.

For lodges and other hospitality businesses, the strongest business case often comes from treating these pressures as one operational challenge rather than pursuing separate solutions.

“Energy resilience in tourism is about protecting the operation behind the guest experience. When a system is designed around real demand, it can help a business use more solar energy, reduce grid dependence, and operate with greater confidence,” Bouwer says.