Name and Location
Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska photovoltaic (PV) solar plant project, Northern Cape, South Africa.

Client
Sonnedix has undertaken the project with Mulilo, a major South African renewable energy developer, as a minority partner.

Project Description
The project involves the construction of an 86 MW wind farm near Douglas, in the Northern Cape, under the third window of the South African Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

The plant technology uses single-axis trackers to position high-efficiency solar panels to face the sun throughout the day, increasing energy capture by up to 25%, compared with fixed-tilt solar technology.

The project will sell the electricity it produces to State-owned power utility Eskom under a power purchase agreement.

Value
The project represents an investment of more than R1.3-billion.

Financial close on the project was achieved in December 2014.

Duration
The power plant is expected to be fully operational in 2016.

Latest Developments
The Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska PV solar plant is on schedule, within budget and nearing completion, according to independent power producer Sonnedix.

Sonnedix country manager Farid Moucer has noted that the 125 ha project is set to connect to the grid in the third quarter of this year and is expected to power 86 000 homes.

Meanwhile, juwi Renewable Energies, which is building the solar park for Sonnedix, has indicated that when complete, the site will host 275 000 PV modules, connected by 990 km of cable.

juwi will undertake the design and engineering of the plant, procuring all of the materials and services and putting it together on site.

juwi MD Greg Austin has noted that the renewable-energy industry has made a considerable impact on the Northern Cape in terms of job creation and opportunities for South African suppliers. “It is important for us to use as many South African suppliers as possible. Most of our large equipment, including solar modules, mounting structures and the invertor station, are all procured through a local South African entity. Some of the components are imported, as they are not manufactured in South Africa, but our full supply base for this project is South African,” he has said.

The project has created about 850 jobs, with more than 500 of these jobs designated to locals living in the region.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
juwi (engineering, procurement and construction, and operations and maintenance services) and SunPower (monocrystalline modules).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Sonnedix, email enquiries@sonnedix.com.
juwi group press officer Felix Wächter, tel +49 6732 96 57-1244 or email waechter@juwi.de.