Elgin Free Range Chickens
(EFRC)

The ambition

At Elgin Free Range Chickens (EFRC), quality isn’t just a standard - it’s a commitment. As South Africa’s leading and most trusted free-range supplier, EFRC ensures that its birds receive the highest quality of life from day one.

Sustainability is equally integral to their operations. EFRC responsibly manages all chicken waste with a zero-to-minimal environmental impact, ensuring no farm waste ends up in landfills. Chicken manure is repurposed for composting, and the farm operates entirely independent of municipal water supplies, reinforcing its environmental stewardship.

With high electricity demands for heating, ventilation, and daily operations, EFRC recognised the need for a more sustainable energy solution - taking another step forward in its commitment to responsible and efficient farming. Broadreach Energy, in partnership with RenEnergy began to work on a solution to address these needs.

As a brand that has sustainability at its heart, and as a supplier to Woolworths, EFRC wanted to replace diesel generators with solar PV and batteries to mitigate loadshedding. Fast forward a few months, and with loadshedding less of a challenge, the solar project pivoted to protect EFRC from hefty, unpredictable Eskom tariff escalations. The sustainability benefits and reduced carbon footprint achieved with solar remain.

The solution

Broadreach Energy financed the project through a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with EFRC with a saving of 30% to 40% compared to Eskom prices and the cost of running diesel generators. This meant the EFRC did not have to commit any capital expenditure upfront, and it knows Broadreach Energy is in it for the long haul as a genuine partner. Broadreach Energy only gets paid when power flows, so, unlike a traditional financer, it has a vested interest in the system's performance.

RenEnergy designed and implemented bespoke hybrid energy solutions tailored to EFRC’s unique operational needs. By integrating photovoltaic (PV) solar panels with cutting-edge battery energy storage technology, each system delivers a reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy infrastructure, ensuring long-term energy resilience.

Broadreach Energy supplies solar power to three EFRC sites, consisting of both industrial and agricultural environments. The varied EFRC sites gave Broadreach Energy and RenEnergy an interesting challenge. The industrial site had limited space for solar panels to be mounted, and the engineers had to think creatively about how to install an adequate number to achieve the scale required.

This scale gives EFRC the ability to make a further saving on its power costs, thanks to its ability to arbitrage power tariffs with the combined solar and battery system. The system uses solar when available as a first – and cheapest - power choice. During Eskom's expensive peak-rate periods the system uses the battery that was strategically charged during low-cost off-peak hours, creating a significant cost saving.

Broadreach Energy financed projects

  • Lottershof - Grabouw

    Broiler farms are highly energy-dependent operations that require controlled environments to optimise bird growth rates, welfare, and overall farm efficiency. Energy consumption in these facilities is primarily driven by heating, ventilation, lighting, feeding systems, and water supply, with high demands for temperature control and automation.

    Read more

  • Avontuur – Stormsvlei

    Lighting is substantial energy demand. Broiler farms follow specific lighting schedules to optimise bird growth and feed conversion rates. Traditionally, incandescent and fluorescent bulbs were used, but many modern broiler farms are transitioning to LED lighting systems, which offer better energy efficiency, durability, and control over light intensity and duration.

    Read more

  • Hatchery - Caledon

    Hatcheries are highly energy-intensive facilities that require precise environmental control to ensure optimal incubation, hatching success rates, and chick quality. Their energy consumption is driven by several critical processes, including temperature regulation, humidity control, ventilation, lighting, and automation.

    Read more

“For a project like EFRC, we worked closely with the RenEnergy team to assess the energy demands of each site, carefully analysing load profiles to design the most tailored solution. A hybrid system proved ideal for the poultry industry, where precise temperature control is essential and relies on a stable, uninterrupted power supply. In my role, I ensure that we address the client’s critical energy needs while delivering a cost-effective, reliable system that aligns with their operational and financial objectives.”

Sabrina Strauss, Renewable Energy Engineer, Broadreach Energy

The Lottershof story

Project summary – over three sites

30 – 40%

Savings from solar

1,026 kWh

Total Battery capacity

649 kWp

Solar PV

“Sustainability is no longer optional - it’s essential, particularly for energy-intensive sectors like agri-poultry. Elgin Free Range Chickens has taken a bold step towards future-proofing its operations with a bespoke hybrid energy solution that enhances resilience, efficiency, and sustainability. By integrating solar PV and battery storage, they are reducing grid reliance, lowering operational costs, and reinforcing their commitment to responsible, forward-thinking farming. This project sets a benchmark for how South Africa’s poultry industry can adopt renewable energy to ensure long-term success while minimising environmental impact. It has been a privilege to collaborate with Broadreach on a project that creates lasting, positive change.”

Claude Peters, Managing Director, RenEnergy Africa

“Going solar was obvious, but we needed to know the project made financial sense. Every supplier paints the picture that the project will be beneficial, but with so much money committed, we wanted to be sure it was a correct fit. Broadreach Energy and RenEnergy carefully scoped the project to ensure it would be financially advantageous, even with less loadshedding.”

Jasper Venter, engineering and maintenance manager, Elgin Free Range Chickens

The benefits

CO2

An annual CO₂ saving of 1,039,918 kg is equivalent to removing approx. 257 cars from the road for a year

  • Optimised solar panel placement for maximum energy yield

  • Strategic discharge of stored energy during peak demand periods

  • Improved self-consumption of solar-generated electricity and massive sustainability strides as a Woolworths supplier

  • Reduced dependence on conventional power grids for increased control

  • Long-term financial stability by minimising exposure to fluctuating utility costs

  • EFRC reduced its environmental impact and reliance of fossil fuels

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Note that all estimated performance figures are calculated using industry-standard systems and norms, assume ideal operating conditions, and were estimated as at the time of the installation. EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.

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