OPERATIONS BEGIN AT ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S LARGEST RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS

ENGIE has started operations of Kathu, a 100 MW Concentrated Solar Plant and one of South Africa’s largest renewable energy projects. Kathu is the first Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) development for ENGIE. ENGIE is pleased to announce that commercial operation was achieved on 30 January 2019 for the 100 MW Kathu Solar Park in South Africa. This state of the art plant is a greenfield Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project with parabolic trough technology and equipped with a molten salt storage system that allows for 4.5 hours of thermal energy storage to provide reliable electricity in the absence of solar radiation and during peak demand. The Kathu site covers approximately 4.5 km², with 384,000 mirrors. Kathu is the first CSP development for ENGIE. The solar park was awarded under Round 3.5 of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (REIPPP), a competitive tender process that was launched to facilitate private sector investment in renewable energy generation. Kathu Solar Park signed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) pursuant to the REIPPP procurement programme with the off-taker/buyer. Isabelle Kocher, CEO of ENGIE: “The completion of Kathu shows our continued commitment to an economic and environmentally friendly development in South Africa. Kathu with its molten salt storage design offers a clean solution to overcome the intermittency of renewable energies. We are proud to contribute to the country’s renewable energy goals, and look forward to continuing the projects initiated with local communities making Kathu a genuine driver of regional economic development.” Kathu will provide clean and reliable energy to 179 000 homes in the local community of the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, the Northern Cape and South Africa as a whole. In addition to this, it is estimated that the Kathu Solar Park will save six million tons of CO2 over 20 years, and will foster further local economic development through several projects, such as the trust for the benefit of the communities situated in the Northern Cape and sourcing of services from local entrepreneurs. The KSP shareholders, which are led by ENGIE (48.5%), include a group of South African investors comprising SIOC Community Development Trust, Investec Bank, Lereko Metier Sustainable Capital Fund, and its co-investors FMO, the Dutch development bank and DEG, the German investment and development company, and the Public Investment Corporation. The main contractor (EPC) is Liciastar– a Spanish consortium of SENER and Acciona in addition to the Kelebogile Trust. In South Africa, ENGIE has interests in a wind farm (94 MW Aurora), 2 solar photovoltaic parks (21 MW) and 2 thermal power peaking plants (670 MW Avon and 335 MW Dedisa). ENGIE also owns Thermaire Investments (Pty) Ltd. and Ampair (Pty) Ltd., leaders in the HVAC installation and maintenance segment in the South African market.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kubota RTV-X900 delivers deep underground

Image
[Johannesburg, 30 May 2017]: With a rich founding history of gold and diamond mining, South Africa remains a leader in deep underground mining as well as safety in this arena, making the transfer of equipment and goods underground a task with little margin for error. Enter the Kubota RTV-X900. While the tasks involved in a successful mining operation are manifold, one of these is being able to move equipment, technicians and supplies from the shafts to the rock face; everything inside these tunnels must be brought from the surface. Due to the layout of a deep level mine, which could include many hundreds of kilometres of tunneling fanning out from the shafts and leading to the surface, this transfer is hugely complex and potentially very hazardous. In years past, the task of transporting goods from the surface underground and vice versa was carried out using a ‘cage’, from which the mining paraphernalia would either be physically carried or transported by wheeled trolleys to its po...
Read more

SKF Ultrasonic leak detector - Quick and easy detection of air leaks TKSU 10

Image
The SKF TKSU 10 is an ultrasonic leak detector that helps users to quickly find leakages in compressed air or vacuum systems. The instrument is very simple to use and features adjustable sensitivity and intuitive guidance for superior leak detection results. Any compressed air system can experience leaks, which amplify the load on compressors and increase costs. The TKSU 10 helps users to easily find leaks from a distance, even in noisy industrial environments, via its ultrasound measurement sensor. The built-in LED display assists the user in adjusting sensitivity and shows the measured ultrasound noise from leaking air, allowing the quantification of leaks and prioritisation of repairs. It is easy to use and no training is required. The leak detection can be done from a distance in noisy industrial environments. The colour LED display assists in adjusting sensitivity settings and shows measurement values. The unit reduces energy and maintenance costs via leak identification an...
Read more

Atlas Copco and Skills Development Corporation giving hope to the disabled

Image
In a bid to contribute to the much-needed skills development and work experience of disabled people, Atlas Copco South Africa partnered with the Skills Development Corporation (SDC) 12 months ago on 4 April 2017. Atlas Copco recognises the daily challenges the disabled face both in their private lives as well as in the business world. The 12-month initiative gave a number of leaners aged between 20 and 28 the opportunity to receive skills development while simultaneously obtaining valuable experience in the work place. The learning programme, hosted at Atlas Copco House in Jet Park, Boksburg, offered learners practical work experience from Monday to Thursday; every Friday learners attended lectures in General Business Management conducted by SDC Facilitator, Nozibusiso Nkosi. “We take pride in working with our future generation, teaching them the fundamental ins and outs of a corporate setting and at the same time boost their self-esteem and much needed confidence to pursue their ca...
Read more