Northern Cape to develop 244 MW wind energy

In South Africa, Chinese power producer China Longyuan Power Group has received funding for the development of two wind farms in the Northern Cape Province.

On Tuesday, project financiers including Nedbank Group, South Africa-based Industrial Development Corp, China Longyuan’s parent China Guodian Corp announced the finalisation of the loan.

The two wind farms include the 100MW De Aar Phase I wind system and the 144MW De Aar Phase II North district facility. Chinese wind power technology company Guodian United Power Technology will supply 67 and 96 wind turbines for the respective projects of 1.5MW each. De Aar Phase 1 and De Aar Phase II.

The two wind power projects were selected by the South African Department of Energy (DoE) under the third round of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). Majority shareholder China Longyuan is working together with indigenous firms Mulilo Renewable Energy and the Black Community Company.

In January, the DoE announced the construction of two concentrated solar power plants in the Northern Cape which are expected to reach financial close at the end of 2015 and start operations in Q1 of 2018. Kathu Solar Park and Redstone Solar Thermal Power will each have a generation capacity of 100MW. Spanish technology solutions company Abengoa is in the process of constructing Khi Solar One, a 50MW solar power plant using tower technology and Xina Solar One, a 100MW parabolic trough plant.

In addition the technology provider opened South Africa’s first solar thermal electric power plant, KaXu Solar One which was commissioned by the DoE to meet the country’s increasing energy demand earlier this month. Related Stories: DA pushes for local content in Northern Cape Construction of CSP plant underway in Northern Cape Cennergi acquires rights to develop Eastern Cape wind farm.