The rise of solar power plants in South Africa
South Africa once supported a massive expansion of nuclear power as a way to meet its growing energy needs with clean energy, with the technology forming the cornerstone of its 2010 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). But by 2018, the rising costs of nuclear power had led to the country changing course.
The 2018 IRP called for adding 5.7 GW of solar power to the grid by 2030, on top of the nearly 1.5 GW currently used in the country. Much of the South African solar industry is based in the Northern Cape region.
With this major expansion of solar power imminent, what are some of the major solar power plants in South Africa?
Kathu Solar Park
Kathu is the largest solar park in South Africa with a capacity of 100MW. Construction of the plant began in May 2016 and commercial operation began in January 2019, with an operational life of 30 years.
The park is estimated to cost US$811 million (ZAR12 billion) and will save six million tons of CO2 emissions over the next twenty years. It will produce enough energy to power 179,000 South African homes during periods of peak demand.
It has further strengthened its environmental performance by establishing a project to protect endangered and sensitive plant species. As part of the plan, approximately 3,345 plants were rescued and moved to a safer area for growth.
Jasper solar energy project
Another solar farm in the Northern Cape region, the Jasper Solar Power Project, is a 96 MW plant consisting of 325,000 solar panels that has been online since October 2014. The plant cost ZAR 2.3 billion to build and is owned by the American company SolarReserve.
The plant produces 180 GWh of electricity per year, enough to power 80,000 households in South Africa, and will offset more than 145,000 tonnes of CO2 every year. Like many of the other solar power plants mentioned, Jasper has a twenty-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Eskom.
Solar Capital De Aar Project 1 and 2
The Solar Capital De Aar Project is located in the Northern Cape region. Project 1 was completed in August 2014 and has a capacity of just over 85 MW. Project 2 was added in April 2016 with a capacity of 90 MW, giving it a combined capacity of 175 MW.
The entire facility covers 500 hectares and consists of 700,000 solar panels. It is owned by Solar Capital, which has invested $400 million in the project to make it one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
Solar Capital has entered into a 20-year PPA with South African state-owned energy company Eskom to supply electricity at a fixed price.
Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska PV
Completed in 2016, Mulilo Prieska PV is yet another solar power plant in the Northern Cape region, in the former zinc mining town of Copperton.
The power plant, spread over 125 hectares and consisting of 275,000 solar panels, connected by 990 km of cable, has a lifespan of 20 years and provides sufficient energy for 40,000 households. It is the joint project of solar multinational Sonnedix and the South African company Mulilo Renewable Energy.
Mulilo also has a similar sized project called Mulilo Prieska PV. With a capacity of 75MW, the solar park was built in collaboration with companies such as Total and Sunpower, which provide engineering, purchasing and construction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsVQrM7B8oc
Kalkbult solar power plant
The Kalkbult solar power plant is a 75 MW plant in the Northern Cape region of South Africa. Construction of the plant took eight months from January to September 2013 and was completed three months ahead of schedule.
It is owned by Norwegian company Scatec Solar, which, like Solar Capital, has entered into a PPA with Eskom to supply electricity.
The Kalkbult factory consists of 312,504 solar panels spread over 112 hectares and produces 150,000 MWh of energy per year, enough energy to power 35,000 homes in South Africa.
“Solar Energy in South Africa: A Look at the Country’s Solar Power Plants” was originally created and published by Power technologya brand owned by GlobalData.
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