Defy has launched its latest innovation – the solar hybrid fridge and freezer product. The product range includes a 157 litre fridge and a 254 litre chest freezer, both of which use solar power to reduce electricity consumption from the grid.
Designed with Africa in mind, the product range is claimed to lower energy costs by up to 44%, and keeps food frozen for up to 49 hours with "endure-chill" technology when there is no power. The total cost of ownership is reduced by removing the requirement for separate battery and inverter. The appropriate sized solar panel is included in the deal. These features make solar hybrid products a reliable partner for everyday life in homes by reducing rising electricity costs while keeping food fresh during load shedding.
Defy has a rich history of 115 years in South Africa, explains Evren Albas, CEO of Defy Appliances. “It is in celebration of this long history that we reaffirm our commitment to South Africa, and the African continent, by launching this first-of-its-kind range of solar hybrid appliances designed to improve the daily lives of South Africans.”
South Africa has one of the highest local resources to produce solar energy in the world. Most areas in the country have an average of more than 2500 hours of sunshine per year. The annual 24-hour global solar radiation average is about 220 W/m2 for South Africa, compared to about 150 W/m2 for parts of the USA, and roughly 100 W/m2 for Europe and the UK.
Solar powered refrigeration is not new, but what makes the Defy products different is that they run off a dual power source and plug into the electricity grid. The solar hybrid products run directly off the solar panels during the day when the sun is out and revert to the electrical grid at night.
“Traditionally, solar refrigerators are high-cost items and require expensive batteries or inverters,” explains Albas. “However, the solar hybrid range provides a built-in intelligent electronics solution, making solar refrigeration available to a wider market at an affordable price. Defy marks the launch of the solar hybrid range as a social innovation, one step in the long journey towards a more sustainable Africa where technology is more readily available to all consumers.
The Defy solar hybrid product range retails for less than R6000 and will be available in 78 stores at the end of February. Installation is managed by Defy’s partner which specialises in solar installations and has a countrywide footprint.
Contact Defy Appliances, Tel 086 100-3339, www.defy.co.za
