De Aar Solar Power

De Aar Solar Power is located 6 km outside the town of De Aar in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The facility is based on over 100 hectares of Emathanjeni Municipal land, and comprises 167,580 solar (PV) panels. De Aar Solar Power supplies Eskom with 85,458 MWh of renewable electrical energy per year; enough to power more than 19 000 average South African households.[1]

Not to be confused with De Aar 1 Solar Power Station.
De Aar Solar Power
Location of De Aar Solar Power
CountrySouth Africa
LocationDe Aar, Northern Cape Province
Coordinates30°37′30″S 24°1′46″E
StatusOperational
Commission date2014
Operator(s)Globeleq
Solar farm
Type
Power generation
Nameplate capacity48 MWp
Annual net output89.4 GWh

De Aar Solar Power signed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Eskom as part of the South African Government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme[2] (REIPPP) and was one of the first solar power projects in South Africa.[3] The project also has an Implementation Agreement with the South African Department of Energy.

The project received full Environmental Authorisation from the Department of Environmental Affairs in 2011.

Background

Mainstream Renewable Energy[4] was responsible for the construction management of the De Aar solar facility, which took place between December 2012 and mid-2014.

De Aar Solar Power is owned by a consortium comprising: Globeleq, Thebe Investment Corporation, Mainstream Renewable Power, The Sibona Ilanga Trust,[5] Enzani Technologies and Usizo Engineering.[6] Globeleq and Siemens Energy Sector jointly manage the project.[7]

Solar panels

The 167 580 Suntech STP 290/295 Watt solar panels at De Aar Solar Power each with a capacity of 290 and 295 Watt[8] and measure 1 x 2m. The inverters used at this facility are SINVERT PVS2400.

Local community

Benefits for the local community arising from the construction and operation of De Aar Solar include a number of enterprise development and socio-economic development programmes, as well as local procurement and employment opportunities.[9]

Some of the projects supported include: Foundation for Alcohol Related Research, Early Childhood Development,[10] Reading Coach Programme,[11] Telematics Programme, Gentle Care Centre, and an Engineering Scholarship Fund[12]

See also

References
  1. "DE AAR SOLAR POWER INAUGURATION & FOCUS ON ENRICHING COMMUNITIES". www.sapvia.co.za.
  2. "An Update On The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme". www.leadershiponline.co.za.
  3. Kolver, Leandi. "De Aar Solar project starts supplying power into grid".
  4. "TOP 10 - Commissioned solar PV projects". Solar Finance Solutions Africa. Archived from the original on 2016-05-24. Retrieved 2016-06-30.
  5. "Trustees will boost communities". News24.
  6. Reporter, Creamer Media. "Globeleq Inaugurates South African Solar Projects". Engineering News.
  7. Creamer, Terence. "50 MW De Aar solar project at peak-construction stage".
  8. Creamer, Terence. "50 MW De Aar solar project at peak-construction stage". Engineering News.
  9. "Local Enterprises Receive Support from De Aar PV Project". The Green Business Guide. 21 April 2015.
  10. "ECD practitioners complete training". News24.
  11. "Solar farms promote literacy". News24.
  12. "Youth bursary fund launched". News24.
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