Enel, through its subsidiary Enel Green Power (EGP), has started commercial operations at its 111 MW Gibson Bay Wind Farm, in the Kouga municipality of the Eastern Cape.
Enel South Africa country manager William Price noted that this was the second wind farm for the company in the province.
The Gibson Bay Wind Farm can generate around 420 GWh/y, while cutting carbon dioxide emissions by over 383 000 t/y.
The wind farm is supported by a 20-year power supply agreement with Eskom, under the government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
EGP has also carried out creating shared value (CSV) initiatives in the areas surrounding the Gibson Bay Wind Farm. The Soul Provider school feeding programme has benefited around 2 850 school children, while free EGP WiFi is supplied to local learning institutions and reaches 1 000 beneficiaries.
Enel has also carried out road improvements in the areas around the wind farm to facilitate travel to and from school or the workplace.
Enel has 520 MW of wind and solar plants in operation in South Africa, with EGP also operating the 88 MW Nojoli Wind Farm, in the Eastern Cape.
It also operates the Paleisheuwel; Tom Burke; Upington and Adams solar photovoltaic (PV) plants, in the Northern Cape, and the Pulida Solar PV plant, in the Free State.