A solar power plant was launched last week at Kimberley Airport. Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa has commended the Department of Transport on the official opening of the plant.

Transport Minister Dipuo Peters officially opened the Kimberley Airport Solar Plant on 13 May, a project that was spearheaded by the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA).

The construction of the Kimberley Airport solar plant started in September last year and forms part of the ACSA’s broader plan to install solar energy plants at all six regional airports over the next three to five years. This is to make regional airports more self-sufficient.

The state-of-the-art Kimberley Airport Solar Plant will use 1620 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels and 18 inverters to generate electricity by converting solar radiation into renewable and clean energy source.

The plant is designed to deliver 500 KWp of peak production per year. This initiative is in line with the government’s sustainable development imperatives, energy security priorities and environmental conservation obligations.

In its first phase, the Kimberley Airport solar plant will generate 141 870 kWh and is forecasted to produced approximately 927 000 kWh hours per year.

“Initiatives such as these are a clear indication that government is on track to achieve the National Development Plan Vision 2030, for South Africa’s transition to an environmentally sustainable, climate-change resilient, low-carbon economy and just society,” says Molewa.

The launch of Kimberley solar plant is aligned to South Africa’s National Climate Change Response Policy which has as its objective to effectively manage climate change impacts through interventions that build and sustain South Africa’s social, economic and environmental resilience and emergency response capacity.

“Government will continue to invest on the development of infrastructure that will ensure environmental sustainability and an equitable transition to a low-carbon economy,” adds Minister Molewa.