Scatec Solar's new plant near Upington
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Scatec Solar and partners have once again grid connected in the ZF Mgcawu District, and started early commercial operation for another 86MW, the second of three of the 258 MW solar power complex in Upington. Similar to Scatec Solar’s announcement of Sirius last week, the 86MW facility, known as Dyason’s Klip 1, is expected to produce 217GWh and deliver clean energy to about 40 000 households annually. Scatec Solar was awarded preferred bidder status for the Upington project in the fourth bidding round under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) Programme in 2015.
“This is
another great achievement by our team in South Africa, bringing this important project online earlier than planned and supporting
South African power supply in this time of much-needed electricity. We
continue to develop renewable energy projects to support the country’s energy demand and we are ready to deliver new
capacity, both within the utility
scale segment as well as for private customers in the commercial and industrial spheres,”
says Raymond Carlsen, chief executive officer
of Scatec Solar.
Dyason’s Klip 1 will be earning 60% of the tariff until the scheduled commercial operation date, which is expected in mid-March. When completed, the Upington solar power complex will provide clean energy for 120 000 households and lead to the abatement of more than 600 000 tonnes of C02 emissions annually. The last of the three solar plants under construction is expected to reach commercial operation within the next few months.
Dyason’s Klip 1 has come online before schedule
The three projects in Upington were awarded in April 2015 in the fourth bidding round under the REIPPP programme. Scatec Solar owns 42%, Norfund holds 18%, the surrounding community of Upington 5% and H1 Holdings, a South African Black investor, holds the remaining 35% of the equity.
Under the REIPPP programme, South Africa has facilitated four bidding windows for renewable energy projects. The government has enabled a steady increase in renewable energy supply to the grid, with the Integrated Resource Plan for 2030 showing a policy commitment to a just transition within the energy sector within the near future. The local and international private sectors are ready to satisfy any requirements placed on the Independent Power Producer sector — through all development, construction, and operational phases, and specifically in Scatec Solar’s case, solar power production.
“Scatec Solar prides itself on working through partnerships to achieve ambitious targets, even under the adversity of broad-based challenges. We continue to work closely with our host communities and government to ensure delivery on what we do best, which is to provide clean and affordable energy,” says Mohamed Khalpe, asset manager of Round 4.
The new solar plant near Upington will generate enough energy to power thousands of homes
“South Africa must remain committed to clean and affordable energy and allow the renewable industry to develop in a transparent and free market alongside the urgent and long-term needs of South Africa’s energy sector,” says Jan Fourie, Scatec Solar’s general manager of South Africa and vice-president of project development in sub-Saharan Africa.
About Scatec Solar: Scatec Solar is an integrated
independent solar power producer, delivering affordable, rapidly deployable and
sustainable clean energy worldwide. A long-term player, Scatec Solar develops,
builds, owns, operates and maintains solar power plants and has an installation
track record of more than 1.3GW. The company has a total of 1.9GW in operation
and under construction on four continents.
With an established global presence and a significant project pipeline, the company is targeting a capacity of 4.5GW in operation and under construction by end of 2021. Scatec Solar is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SSO. To learn more, visit www.scatecsolar.com