A new R5 billion solar project developed by a consortium led by ACWA Power is open for business in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.<\/p>\n
Trade Ministers from South Africa and Saudi Arabia inaugurated ACWA Power\u2019s Solafrica Bokpoort Concentrated Solar Power Project at a ceremony on Monday.<\/p>\n
Features of the new plant include:<\/p>\n
The project was developed as part of the government\u2019s Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff (REFIT) Procurement Programme.<\/p>\n
According to ACWA Power, Bokpoort CSP is utilising the only reliable renewable technology available to South Africa today at a commercial scale to cover the country\u2019s daily evening peak demand from 5pm to 9pm.<\/p>\n
ACWA Power, headquartered in Saudi Arabia, said the Bokpoort CSP plant is the first in a series of investments in the power sector that it is making in South Africa.<\/p>\n
The company is expecting to commence construction on the 100 MW Redstone CSP Project, also in Northern Cape, and is awaiting the outcome of tender submissions for a 300 MW coal-fired plant in Mpumalanga and another 150 MW CSP plant also at Northern Cape.<\/p>\n
Chris Ehlers, the company\u2019s managing director for the Southern Africa region said: \u201cOur commitment to the development of South African economy beyond reliably supplying renewable energy at a cost competitive tariff is demonstrated by the R2 billion worth of locally sourced components made in South Africa that has been used in the construction of this plant and the creation of 1,300 construction jobs.”<\/p>\n
New solar energy project launching in SA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n