More than 165 000 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels have been installed at the Droogfontein Solar Photovoltaic Plant. The project will supply the Eskom gridline with 85 458 MW per year.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) says the new R1.5 billion solar power plant near Kimberley will contribute immensely to the country’s rising energy demands. The plant, situated in the Sol Plaatjie Municipality on a 100-hectare site, is one of the first large solar farms in South Africa built by an independent power producer. The PV plant arises from the government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP) According to the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Advocate Michael Masutha the plant is in keeping with government’s general strategic objective of migrating from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based one. “It is against that background that the DST supports the transition to a low carbon economy, which can be achieved through the inclusion of cleaner energy technology solutions of which solar energy is, but one of them,” Masutha said at the project’s launch.“The solar technology roadmap process has enabled government to align its approach on the development and deployment of solar energy technologies. The technology roadmap development process has been very consultative, and preliminary indications show that solar energy can significantly contribute to the Southern African energy mix,” he said.
The alignment includes measures to define the benefit of using solar energy as compared to the current cost of the technology, policy alignment, a more accommodating financial sector and promoting innovation. Masutha said, in pursuit of the goal of obtaining 10 000 GW per hour of renewable energy by 2013, the Minister of Energy determined that 3 725 MW will be required from Independent Power Producers. This informed the renewable energy allocation in the Integrated Resource Plan which is aligned to the National Development Plan and has a target of 42% of electricity generated from new capacity in South Africa to come from renewable energy.
