South African regulator gives nod for Eskom wind power project

• Eskom is targeting to deliver its wind power to the national grid in the first half of 2014
• The 100MW project will become fully commercially operational by the end of 2014
• The South African government's renewable energy programme, is targeting to create 3,725 MW of new generating capacity (mainly wind and solar).
JOHANNESBURG - The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has granted power producer Eskom a licence for its Sere wind farm in the Western Cape, paving the way for the company to start construction of its $254.3 million (R2.4-billion) project.
Sere is the Nama word for "cool breeze".
The wind farm project is scheduled to become fully commercially operational by the end of 2014.
"This is an exciting milestone in Eskom's move towards a cleaner energy mix," Eskom CEO Brian Dames said in a statement.
"Sere is our first, large-scale, renewable energy project. It demonstrates our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and to investing in a sustainable energy future."
Eskom is targeting to deliver its wind power to the national grid in the first half of 2014, with full commercial operation by the end of 2014.
The South African government's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer (REIPP) programme, is targeting to create 3,725 MW of new generating capacity (mainly wind and solar).
Eskom has signed power purchase agreements with the independent power producers procured by the Department of Energy in Phases 1 and 2 of the programme and stands ready to connect the new producers to the national grid.
Eskom has signed power purchase agreements with the independent power producers procured by the Department of Energy in Phases 1 and 2 of the programme and stands ready to connect the new producers to the national grid.
Eskom said the wind-farm, located near Koekenaap (Vredendal area) in the Western Cape, would generate up to 100MW of power for the national grid, and would avoid nearly 4.7 million tons of carbon emissions over 20 years.
The project is being funded by a group of development finance institutions, including the World Bank, the African Development Bank, Clean Technology Fund, and Agence Francaise de Developement.
"We are very pleased that we have been able to take advantage of attractive financing from international development finance institutions to construct the project at costs which compare favourably with the market," Dames said.
The wind-farm would comprise of 46 Siemens 2.3-108 wind turbine generators.
The project would include construction of a new substation and of a 132KV distribution line.
The Eskom project is expected to have a operating life of 20 years, with average annual energy production of about 233,000MWh, which is sufficient to power about 97,000 standard homes.
The Eskom project is expected to have a operating life of 20 years, with average annual energy production of about 233,000MWh, which is sufficient to power about 97,000 standard homes.
Alongside the Sere project, Eskom has a 100 MW Concentrating Solar Plant project near Upington in the Northern Cape, which also has funding from development finance institutions.
It has also installed solar photo-voltaic (PV) panels to provide auxiliary power at its head office and at two of its coal-fired power stations, with a view to rolling out solar PV across other facilities..