Name and Location
Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) – third round, South Africa.

Client
Department of Energy.

Project Description
Seventeen renewable-energy developers have been appointed as preferred bidders, following the conclusion of the third bid-submission round under the REIPPPP.

The Department of Energy (DoE) received 93 bid applications and the projects represented by the 17 preferred bidders have a collective installed capacity of 1 471.5 MW, comprising seven onshore wind bidders (787 MW), six solar photovoltaic (PV) bidders (450 MW), one 16.5 MW biomass bidder, one 18 MW landfill gas bidder and two concentrated solar power (CSP) bidders (200 MW).

Value
Not stated.

Duration
Financial close for the 17 projects is expected by July 30, 2014.

Latest Developments
Given the large number of competitive responses submitted to the DoE, particularly from potential onshore wind and solar PV developers, the department is considering the appointment of additional preferred bidders for these technology categories.

An announcement regarding these appointments will be made by November 20, but the DoE has stressed that no final decision on this has yet been taken.

The department has sent letters of nonappointment to 18 participants, which have failed to comply, leaving 58 bidders that could still be considered.

The names of all the successful bidders have not been announced, but a consortium led by Mainstream Renewable Power has confirmed that three of its large-scale wind projects – the 140 MW Khobab wind farm, the 140 MW Loeriesfontein 2 wind farm and the 80 MW Noupoort wind farm, in the Northern Cape – have progressed to preferred-bidder status. The projects represent a collective investment value of R9-billion. Further, international technology group Abengoa has confirmed that its 100 MW Xina Solar One parabolic trough plant is one of the two CSP projects selected. Cobra Energia is the other successful CSP bidder.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Mainstream Renewable Power, Abengoa, Cobra Energia.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Mainstream Renewable Power, Emmet Curley, tel +353 1 290 2027 or
email emmet.curley@mainstreamrp.com.
Abengoa communications department, Patricia Malo de Molina Meléndez, tel +34 954 93 71 11 or
email communication@abengoa.com.
Cobra Energia, tel +91 456 95 00, fax +91 456 94 50 or email central@grupocobra.com.