South Africa is poised to add yet more concentrating solar power (CSP) capacity, with two additional preferred projects named by the Department of Energy (DoE) and two others reaching financial close in December.

The development brings to seven the number of active CSP projects being pursued by independent power producers in the country’s sun-drenched Northern Cape province. In addition, Eskom is pursuing its own CSP project near Upington in the same province.

The 100 MW Kathu Solar Park and the 100 MW Redstone Solar Thermal Power project were named as the latest preferred bidders, while the DoE and Eskom concluded power purchase, implementation and direct agreements for the 100 MW Xina and the 100 MW Karoshoek Solar One projects, identified as preferred bidders during the third bid window under South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).

The Redstone Solar Thermal Power project, to be located in Postmasburg, is being developed by a consortium led by SolarReserve, of the US, and ACWA Power, of Saudi Arabia, while a consortium led by GDF SUEZ, and comprising the Sishen Iron Ore Company Community Development Trust, Investec Bank, Lereko Metier and Public Investment Corporation (PIC), is backing the Kathu Solar Park.

ACWA Power is already building the 50 MW Bokpoort CSP project, Abengoa, of Spain, is building three projects (the 50 MW Khi Solar One power-tower project, the 100 MW KaXu Solar One project and the Xina project), while Karoshoek Solar One is being developed by a consortium comprising Emvelo, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), ACS Cobra Energia, the PIC, Investec and the Karoshoek Community Trust.

In a statement, SolarReserve and ACWA Power said the Redstone project, was scheduled to achieve financial close during 2015 and commence operations in early 2018.

The project would incorporate a tower configuration and a molten-salt energy storage technology, with 12 hours of full-load energy storage. The project would be based on SolarReserve's 110 MW Crescent Dunes project in Nevada, which is currently in final commissioning.

The Kathu Solar Park, meanwhile, will incorporate parabolic trough technology and will be equipped with a molten-salt storage system that allows 4.5 hours of thermal energy storage.

Following the signing of the Xina Solar One power purchase agreement in December, Abengoa reported that the plant would feature parabolic trough technology with a five-hour thermal energy storage system using molten salt. Construction of the $1-billion facility was already under way at a site near Pofadder and the plant was scheduled to come on line in the third quarter of 2017.

Abengoa said it secured project financing from the African Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation, IDC and the Development Bank of Southern Africa, as well as from South African banks RMB, Nedbank and Absa.

The Karoshoek Solar One project, which is located 25 km from Upington, will incorporate the linear Fresnel reflector technology and include storage.

The inclusion of storage at the projects means that they will be able to provide dispatchable power much like a conventional coal, oil, nuclear or natural gas-fired power plant.

The DoE reported previously that prices for the CSP projects bid during the third REIPPPP bidding round declined to R1.46/kWh, as compared with the R2.68/kWh bid during the first round.