Warehousing & Logistics
Solar & BESS for South African warehouses and distribution centres
Large flat rooftops, continuous refrigeration and 24/7 operations put logistics and warehousing among the highest-yield solar and BESS opportunities in the country.
Why it matters
Why warehousing is a solar & BESS sweet spot
Distribution centres combine three qualities that make renewable investment straightforward: enormous unshaded rooftops, high daytime load driven by refrigeration and forklifts, and demand profiles that reward peak shaving. Add continuous operations that make backup a real economic driver, and the business case usually clears the hurdle rate on its own.
Roof-mounted scale
Modern DCs typically offer 5,000 m² to 30,000 m²+ of contiguous roof — enough to install systems that materially offset annual consumption without any land use.
Refrigeration-driven demand
Cold-chain warehouses run compressors continuously. Solar covers the day; BESS shaves the peak and protects perishable stock during outages.
Tenant recovery models
For landlord-operated DCs, PPA or refinancing structures can be recovered from tenants through operating-cost pass-through — improving asset value with no capital outlay.
Our approach
How SOLINK works with warehousing & logistics clients
We start with the site's consumption profile and roof condition, and only then talk about system size. Every recommendation is independent — SOLINK does not sell hardware.
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STEP 01
Roof & structural review
Purlin spacing, gauge, age, asbestos content and warranty interaction. On older warehouse roofs, this is the deciding factor — not solar economics.
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STEP 02
Load profile analysis
Half-hourly data across a full year to model refrigeration duty cycles, shift changes and peak windows — the inputs BESS sizing depends on.
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STEP 03
Structure & funding
Owned, PPA or refinancing, evaluated against your tax position, capital availability and tenant arrangement. Delivered as a like-for-like comparison, not a menu.
Multi-site portfolios
Portfolio rollouts across national footprints
For logistics operators with multiple DCs, SOLINK runs portfolio-level tenders that lock in a single set of commercial terms across every site. This delivers materially better tariffs than site-by-site procurement and dramatically simplifies rollout governance.
Ready to look at your site?
Send us 12 months of electricity bills and a short brief on your operation. We'll come back with an independent view on what solar, BESS or wheeling should look like for your specific site.