Name and Location
Droogfontein solar photovoltaic (PV) power project, Northern Cape, South Africa.

Client
The project is owned by a consortium, including Globeleq, Mainstream Renewable Power, Thebe Investment Corporation, the Droogfontein Communal Property Association, the Droogfontein Solar Park Trust, Enzani Technologies and Usizo Engineering.

Project Description
The Droogfontein solar power project is located 15 km outside Kimberley, in the Sol Plaatje municipality, in the Northern Cape.

The project is expected to generate 50 MW of clean renewable power at peak production, converting energy from the sun into electricity using 168 720 PV panels and feeding the electricity directly into Eskom’s 132 kV distribution system.

The plant will produce 82 674 MWh/y of electricity and avoid 79 368 t/y of carbon emissions; the project will also ensure water savings of 156-million litres a year.

The PV project is one of the first and also the largest of the solar facilities arising from the first bid window of the South African government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

Value
Not stated.

Duration
Construction started in December 2012 and began commercial operations in April 2014.

Latest Developments
The Droogfontein solar PV project has achieved commercial operations and will be formally inaugurated in mid May.

The project entered commercial operations in early April 2014, with construction having started in December 2012.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Siemens Southern Africa (engineering procurement and construction).

On Budget and on Time?
The project was completed within budget and on schedule.

Contact Details for Project Information
Globeleq, tel +44 20 7 234 5400, fax +44 20 7 234 5486 or email info@globeleq.com.
Siemens Southern Africa media relations, Hulisani Nemaxwi, tel + 27 11 652 2167 or email hulisani.nemaxwi@siemens.com.
Mainstream Renewable Power South Africa project manager Kevin Foster, tel +27 21 657 4040, fax +27 21 671 5665 or email kevin.foster@mainstreamrp.com.
Thebe Investment Corporation, tel +27 11 447 7800, fax +27 11 447 5502 or email info@thebe.co.za.
Enzani Technologies, tel +27 11 835 1880, fax +27 11 835 1885 or
email info@enzani.co.za.
Usizo Engineering, tel +27 11 609 7560 or fax +27 11 609 7518.