European wind energy company Gestamp Wind still had strong confidence in the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) despite tender process delays, CEO Dionisio Fernandez said on Thursday.
He said the group was continuing to invest in the country, having opened its nearly R300-million wind tower mast manufacturing facility in Atlantis, in the Western Cape, earlier this week.
“With this investment, South Africa does not need to import any further steel towers for its REIPPPP and [it] demonstrates that we have been effective in assisting the South African government with fulfilling one of the key objectives of the programme, which is establishing local manufacturing facilities, job creation and the transfer of skills,” Fernandez added.
Gestamp Wind had been awarded the tender for the 73.8 MW Noblesfontein wind farm, which became operational on time and within its R1.5-billion budget, during the second quarter of this year.
This project was featured in the Gestamp Wind 2013 global sustainability report, launched in South Africa on Thursday, which showcased the Noblesfontein wind farm’s socioeconomic and enterprise development project as a model to be implemented globally.
Gestamp Wind was also participating in Round 4 of the REIPPPP public tender process for another 102 MW wind project.