Engineers from renewables company Scatec have started work on a large project in the Northern Cape, which forms part of the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

Once operational, the project will have a total solar capacity of 540 MW and battery storage capacity of 225 MW/ 1 140 MWh, and provide 150 MW of dispatchable power under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

It is due to start supplying power within 15 months of construction starting. 

The facility will comprise three collocated projects.

“We were extremely careful when we started to lay out the facility site. Learning from a rigorous environmental-impact assessment (EIA) process, we realised that there is rich biodiversity in the region, and every precaution was taken to minimise the environmental impact,” explains Scatec sub-Saharan Africa executive VP Jan Fourie.

The company reached financial close on the development of the Kenhardt site earlier this year. 

The mitigation principle it followed, Fourie explains, is “avoidance, then relocation, and only then destruction”. This means the company would do everything possible to avoid any sensitive local fauna and flora and safeguard local ecosystems.

The Kenhardt region is noted to be rich in plant biodiversity. The 16 species of fauna and 99 plants (flora) species of “conservation concern” life puts a special responsibility on anyone who does any kind of construction work in the vicinity.

“If you look at the map and the configuration of our site, you can see clearly how we identified local sensitive areas. Among other ecological sensitivity, we took into consideration the location of quiver trees and hydrology. Even the access roads themselves were carefully planned. We did everything we can to avoid protected plant communities and animal life,” says Fourie.

As part of the development of the site, Scatec had to undertake an EIA. This detailed the presence of environmental sensitivities and describes how the company would ensure its protection through a risk mitigation approach. 

“We partnered with a specialist team, who partnered and guided us through this process. We had to apply for flora relocation permits and every single relocated plant was tracked and monitored. We made use of the latest geographic information system technology to record plant species attributes in the field during the search and relocation process. The field data were then fed in real time to an interactive management dashboard with consolidated species information,” Fourie indicates.

Legislation requires the project to always maintain a net gain of species. In the case of quiver trees, the flora permit requires that ten new trees be planted for every single relocated tree. 

“When you look at pictures of the Kenhardt region you may very well think you are looking at a barren, dry, and desolate landscape. This would be completely wrong, as our research and planning have shown. There is an enormous richness of life in the area, and we will do everything we can to protect it,” says Fourie.