Construction of the first phase of a R2,3-billion 125-MW wind farm in the 
vicinity of Jeffreys Bay, in the Eastern Cape, is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2011.

The project is being undertaken by Main-stream Renewable Power South Africa, a joint venture between Cape Town-based renewable energy firm Genesis Eco-Energy and its Irish 
partner, Mainstream Renewable Power.

In an exclusive interview with Engineering News, Mainstream South Africa director Davin Chown explains that the envisaged 16-MW facility, which is the first phase of the larger 125-MW project, will be located on the Sunnyside dairy farm on the outskirts of Jeffreys Bay.

The Sunnyside dairy farm is a favourable 
location for the wind farm, elaborates Chown, as the wind regime of the area is good and the site is close to an existing 132-kV line.

The wind farm will consist of a collection of 2-MW to 2,5-MW wind turbines. A further 
110-MW expansion of the wind farm is also planned to bring the total installed capacity to 125 MW.

“The wind farm will help stabilise the energy 
supply to the area and assist the local economy 
in developing a greater degree of energy security,” states Chown.

Chown elaborates that the first phase of the project has received a positive record of 
decision from the environmental authorities, and that the environmental-impact assessment (EIA) for the second phase is currently 
under way.

The company does not envisage any problems that could delay the completion of that assessment.

According to project manager Leila Mahomed-Weideman, once the EIA has been completed, construction of the wind farm, grid connection allowing, will begin in the second quarter of 2011.

“The wind farm will be erected fairly quickly 
as we will be able to erect three turbines a week,” enthuses Chown.

“Thus, by the end of next year, it is anticipated that the project will be well under way and we hope that, by the last quarter of 2011, 
it will be fully commissioned and operational.”

According to Chown, Mainstream Renewable Power has financed the development phase of the project, at about R800-millon, using its own equity for the first phase, although nego-
tiations are still under way to secure the 
remaining finance for the construction of the project.

This is just one of a collection of wind and concentrating solar power projects that Mainstream is currently investigating.

In fact, the South African-European renew-
able-energy joint venture aims to have a total of 500 MW of wind-energy projects operational
in South Africa by 2014 and has a portfolio of 1 200 MW of projects in the pipeline.

Mainstream, which has a growing international project pipeline spanning four continents, will lend its experience, capital and fundraising muscle to the alliance, while Genesis will inject its local skills, knowledge and an emerging portfolio of prospects in the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape provinces.