South Africa’s ATM Solutions has launched the first solar-powered automated teller machines (ATMs) in Mpumalanga province, eastern South Africa
Mpumalanga has been prone to frequent load-shedding like the rest of the country. The recent collapse of a coal storage silo at Eskom’s Majuba 4.1GW power station in Mpumalanga reduced the station’s output capacity to 600MW, stated local reports.
Company officials said that while the ATMs are connected to the grid, the incorporated solar panels and batteries provide power during blackouts.
A solar ATM worked smoothly for an entire week during testing without any using grid power. The machine turned off automatically during the seventh night, and then switched back on the following day once the solar panels began generating power after sunrise.
ATM Solutions plans to install more solar-powered ATMs across South Africa in areas experiencing constant power outages. The company has 5,000 retail ATMs across Africa, with 40 to 50 per cent found in rural areas.
