Coal dominates power generation in South Africa. Eskom, the state-owned utility responsible for the majority of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in the country, doesn’t even have any solar power generation assets. However, the world is becoming increasingly sensitive to greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution. In addition solar and wind power generation have become cost-competitive with fossil fuels power generation. Therefore, the government envisions a shift away from coal to environmentally-friendly power sources.
To this end, the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPP), borne out of the government’s revised Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2010-30, set a generation capacity target of 7,958 MW of Solar Photovoltaics (PV) power to be achieved by 2030 (Kenya aims 600 MW by 2030, find here the current top 10). Consequently, South Africa is now Africa’s biggest market for IPP solar PV projects.
Since the promulgation of the original IRP in 2011, the 10 largest solar projects in South Africa ranked by MW-peak are either launched or under development are the following:
- Jasper 96 MW
- Sishen 94.3 MW
- De Aar (2) 90 MW
- De Aar (3) 86.3 MW
- Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska 86.2 MW
- Mulilo Prieska 86.2 MW
- De Aar (1) 85.3 MW
- Adams Solar PV (2) 82.5 MW
- Paleisheuwel 82.5 MW
- Pulida Solar 82.5MW
| Jasper | Sishen | De Aar 2 | De Aar 3 | Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska | Mulilo Prieska | De Aar 1 | Paleisheuwel | Adams Solar 2 | Pulida Solar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size (Megawatts-peak, MWp) | 96 MW | 94 MW | 90 MW | 86 MW | 86 MW | 86 | 85 MW | 82.5 MW | 82.5 MW | 82.5 MW |
| Location | Northern Cape | Northern Cape | Northern Cape | Northern Cape | Northern Cape | Northern Cape | Northern Cape | Western Cape | Northern Cape | Free State |
| Construction Start | Jun-13 | Aug-13 | Jul-13 | 2017 | Feb-15 | Apr-15 | Jan-13 | Jul-14 | Mar-15 | May-15 |
| Operation Start | Oct-14 | Nov-14 | Apr-16 | Under Construction | Jul-16 | Aug-16 | Aug-14 | May-16 | Feb-17 | Feb-17 |
| Developer/ Sponsor (s) | SolarReserve; Kensani Capital Investments; Intikon Energy | ACCIONA | Solar Capital; Moncada Energy Group | Solar Capital Orange (Pty) Ltd.; JA Solar Investment. | Sonnedix; Mulilo; Ixowave Women In Power. | Mulilo Prieska PV (Pty) Ltd. | Solar Capital; Moncada Energy Group | Enel Green Power South Africa (EGPSA); Royal Bafokeng Holdings | Enel Green Power South Africa (EGPSA); Royal Bafokeng Holdings | Enel Green Power South Africa (EGPSA) |
| Owner (s) | SolarReserve; P.E.A.C.E. Humansrus Trust; GAIA Capital; Google; Kensani Capital; Oakleaf Investment | ACCIONA (54.9%), Royal Bafokeng Holdings (25.1%), Soul City (10%), Dibeng Community Solar Energy Trust (10%). | Solar Capital; Moncada Energy. | Solar Capital (30%); JA Solar Investment (30%); Solar Capital Orange Community Trust (12.5%); Phakwe Power Ltd. (27.5%). | Sonnedix (60%); Mulilo (20%); Ixowave (15%); Prieska PV Community Trust (5%). | Total Energie (27%); Andisol (Pty) Ltd. (25%); Mulilo Solar Enterprises (18%); Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (15%); Futuregrowth Asset Mgt. (10%); Mulilo Klipgats Community Holding (5%); | Solar Capital; Moncada Energy Group | EGPSA (60%); Royal Bafokeng Holdings (Pty) Ltd. (30%); Paleisheuwel Community Trust (10%). | EGPSA (60%); Royal Bafokeng Holdings (Pty) Ltd. (30%); Hortazel Community Trust (10%). | EGPSA 52.7%; Shanduka Group 20%; Shanduka Black Umbrellas Trust (15%); Bathopele Letsemeng Community Trust (12.3%). |
| Offtaker | Eskom | Eskom | Eskom | Eskom | Eskom | Eskom | Eskom | Eskom | Eskom | Eskom |
| PPA | 20 years | 20 years | 20 years | 20 years | 20 years | 20 | 20 years | 20 years | 20 years | 20 years |
| PPA Price per kWh (SA cents) | 165 | 165 | 165 | 79 | 99 | 99 | 267 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| PPA | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | 15 Years | 15 Years |
| Prepaid Metered Offtaker price/ kWh (NGN) | Range 20 – 45 | Range 20 – 45 | Direct Equipment Purchase | Range 20 – 45 | Range 20 – 45 | 60 | Unknown | Range 20 – 45 | PPA oftaker price unknown. | PPA offtaker price unknown |
1. JASPER 96 MW
The Jasper power station, which is currently the largest single solar PV plant in Africa, is a US$260 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm located in the town of Postmasburg, Northern Cape province. This is currently the largest of the solar projects in South Africa.
The solar farm, which comprises 325,000 solar panels, sits on 150 hectares of land (277 acres).
The plant’s operation has created 44 permanent jobs, and electricity generated from the plant can power 80,000 homes.
The grid-connected plant is owned by a consortium (see Table 1). The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was a joint venture (JV) between Group Five and Spanish firm Iberdrola.
The IPP was expected to sell the electricity generated to Eskom at 267 c/kWh.
2. SISHEN 94.3 MW
The Sishen solar power plant is a US$ million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm located in Dibeng, Northern Cape province.
The solar farm, which comprises 319,000 solar panels, sits on 250 hectares of land.
The plant’s operation has created 19 permanent jobs, and electricity generated from the plant can power 100,000 homes.
The grid-connected plant is owned by a consortium (see Table 1).
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was a joint venture (JV) between Spanish firm Acciona and South African company Aveng Africa..
The IPP was expected to sell the electricity generated to Eskom at 267 c/kWh.
3. DE AAR (2) 90 MW
The Solar Capital De Aar 2 solar plant is a ZAR2.6 bn utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the town of De Aar, Northern Cape.
The solar plant sits on 191 hectares of land.
It was jointly financed with the De Aar 1 solar plant.
Both plants generate enough electricity to power 75,000 homes through the national grid and have created 120 permanent jobs. .
The grid-connected plant is owned by a consortium (see Table 1).
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was Indian firm Sterling and Wilson.
The IPP was expected to sell the electricity generated to Eskom at 165 c/kWh.
4. DE AAR (3) 86.25 MW
The De Aar solar plant is a US$180 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm under construction near the town of Loeriesfontein, Northern Cape.
The solar farm sits on 193 hectares of land and the electricity generated by the plant could power 50,000 homes.
The grid-connected plant is owned by a consortium (see Table 1).
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) is Indian firm Sterling & Wilson, which has done several solar projects in South Africa.
The electricity from the plant will be sold to Eskom at 79 c/kWh.
5. MULILO SONNEDIX PRIESKA 86.2 MW
The Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska solar plant is a US$133 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm located near the town of Prieska, Northern Cape.
The solar farm consists of 282,000 panels and sits on 140 hectares of land.
The electricity generated from the farm could power 40,000 homes through the national grid.
The grid-connected plant is owned by Spanish IPP firm Sonnedix and South African renewable energy developer Mulilo.
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was Juwi Renewable Energies (Pty) Ltd.
The electricity from the plant was expected to be sold to Eskom at 99 c/kWh.
6. MULILO PRIESKA 86.23 MW
The Mulilo Prieska solar plant is a US$70 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm located near the town of Prieska, Northern Cape.
The solar farm consists of 198,000 panels and sits on 205 hectares of land.
The electricity generated from the farm could power 75,000 homes through the national grid.
The grid-connected plant is owned by a consortium – see Table 2.
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was Sunpower Energy Systems Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd.
The electricity from the plant was expected to be sold to Eskom at 99 c/kWh.
7. DE AAR (1) 85.26 MW
The Solar Capital De Aar 1 solar plant is a ZAR2.2 bn utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the town of De Aar, Northern Cape.
The solar plant sits on 282 hectares of land.
The plant was jointly financed with the De Aar 2 solar plant.
Both plants generate enough electricity to power 75,000 homes through the national grid and have created 120 permanent jobs. .
The grid-connected plant is owned by a consortium (see Table 2).
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was Indian firm Sterling and Wilson.
The IPP was expected to sell the electricity generated to Eskom at 267 c/kWh.
8. PALEISHEUWEL 82.5 MW
The Paleisheuwel solar project is a US$110 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm located in the town of Paleisheuwel, Western Cape.
The solar farm consists of 611,000 panels and sits on 240 hectares of land.
The electricity generated from the farm could power around 48,000 homes through the national grid.
The grid-connected plant is majority owned by Enel Green Power South Africa, which is wholly owned by Italian energy giant Enel SpA.
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was Italian firm TerniEnergia Projects (Pty) Ltd.
The electricity from the plant was expected to be sold to Eskom at 99 c/kWh.
9. ADAMS SOLAR PV (2) 82.5 MW
The Adams Solar PV 2 solar plant is a US$110 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm located near the towns of Hotazel and Kathu, Northern Cape.
The solar farm comprises 611,000 panels and sits on 198 hectares of land.
The electricity generated from the farm could power around 50,000 homes through the national grid.
The grid-connected plant is majority owned by Enel Green Power South Africa, which is wholly owned by Italian energy giant Enel SpA.
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was Electronica South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
The electricity from the plant was expected to be sold to Eskom at 99 c/kWh.
10. PULIDA SOLAR 82.5 MW
The Pulida solar project is a US$266 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm located in Letsemeng local municipality, Free State.
The solar farm consists of 611,000 panels and sits on 220 hectares of land.
The electricity generated from the farm could power around 48,000 homes through the national grid.
The grid-connected plant is majority owned by Enel Green Power South Africa, which is wholly owned by Italian energy giant Enel SpA.
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was Erigenix (Pty) Ltd.
The electricity from the plant was expected to be sold to Eskom at 99 c/kWh.
