Boikanyo Solar Power Station
The Boikanyo Solar Power Station is a 50 MW (67,000 hp) solar power plant in South Africa. It is a grid-connected, privately owned and privately funded solar power station.[1] The power station, which took about one year to construct, reached "grid code compliance" on 9 April 2021 and provided 450 construction jobs.[2]
| Boikanyo Solar Power Station | |
|---|---|
| Country | South Africa |
| Location | Douglas, Siyancuma, Pixley ka Seme District, Northern Cape Province |
| Coordinates | 29°00′26″S 23°48′21″E |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | April 2020 |
| Commission date | 9 April 2021 |
| Owner(s) | Boikanyo Solar Company |
| Solar farm | |
| Type | Flat-panel PV |
| Site area | 168 hectares (420 acres) |
| Thermal capacity | 152 GWh |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 184,000 |
| Nameplate capacity | 50 MW (67,000 hp) |
Location
The power station is located near the town of Douglas, in Siyancuma Local Municipality, in the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality, in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.[1] This is approximately 116 kilometres (72 mi), by road, southwest of Kimberly, the provincial headquarters of Northern Cape Province.[3] Douglas is located approximately 595 kilometres (370 mi), by road, southwest of Johannesburg, the country's business capital.[4]
Overview
The power station sits on 168 hectares (420 acres) of "low vale farmland". It comprises 184,000 solar panels, capable of collectively generating 152 GWh annually, enough to supply 62,000 South African homes. The power is evacuated via a 132kV high voltage transmission line to the Siyancuma substation, where the energy is integrated into the national grid. Eskom, the national electricity utility company of South Africa buys the generated electricity, under a twenty-year power purchase agreement.[1][3]
Developers
The power station was developed by a consortium, which owns the station and has formed a special purpose vehicle company by the name: Boikanyo Power Company. The consortium comprises the corporate entities listed in the table below.[1][5]
| Rank | Name of Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reatile Solar Power | [1][5] |
| 2 | Phakwe Solar | [1][5] |
| 3 | African Rainbow Energy and Power | [1][5] |
| 4 | Cicada Community Trust | [1][5] |
| 5 | African Infrastructure Investment Managers | [1][5] |
Other considerations
This power station was licensed under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Purchasing Programme (REIPPP). This program was designed by the Government of South Africa, with the objective of attracting "private investment in the renewable energy sector".[1][4][5]
The same consortium of all South African-based IPPs was granted concessions to develop renewables as illustrated in the table below.[1][5]
| Rank | Power Station | Location | Energy | Capacity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | De Wildt Solar Power Station | Brits | Solar | 50 MW | Operational[6] |
| 2 | Waterloo Solar Power Station | Vryburg | Solar | 75 MW | Operational[7] |
| 3 | Bokamoso Solar Power Station | Bokamoso | Solar | 68 MW | Operational[8] |
| 4 | Zeerust Solar Power Station | Zeerust | Solar | 75 MW | Operational[9] |
| 5 | Boikanyo Solar Power Station | Douglas | Solar | 50 MW | Operational[1] |
See also
References
- Jean Marie Takouleu (12 August 2021). "South Africa: Boikanyo solar power plant (50 MWp) starts commercial operations". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- Theresa Smith (11 August 2021). "Northern Cape boasts SA's highest number of clean energy projects". ESI-Africa. Rondebosch, South Africa. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- Google (17 August 2021). "Road Distance Between Kimberley, South Africa And Douglas South Africa With Map" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- Google (17 August 2021). "Road Distance Between Johannesburg, South Africa And Douglas, South Africa With Interactive Map" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- Dennis Ayemba (10 August 2021). "South Africa: Boikanyo Solar Comes on Line to Power Up the Northern Cape". Africanminingbrief.com. Sandton, South Africa. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- Jean Marie Takouleu (29 January 2021). "South Africa: De Wildt PV solar power plant (50 MWp) goes into operation". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ESI-Africa (30 November 2020). "South Africa: 75MW Waterloo Solar Begins Commercial Operations" (Energy-World Quoting ESI-Africa). World-Energy.com. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- Babalwa Bungane (18 September 2020). "South Africa: Bokamoso Solar plant commences commercial operations". ESI-Africa. Rondebosch, South Africa. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- Jean Marie Takouleu (27 August 2021). "South Africa: Zeerust solar power plant (75 MWp) goes into commercial operation". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 17 August 2021.