Solar power in South Africa includes photovoltaics (PV) as well as concentrated solar power (CSP). In 2016, South Africa had 1,329 MW of installed solar power capacity. Installed capacity is expected to reach 8,400 MW by 2030.
De Aar Solar Power is located 6 km outside the town of De Aar in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The facility is based on over 100 hectares of Emathanjeni Municipal land, and comprises 167,580 solar (PV) panels. De Aar Solar Power supplies Eskom with 85,458 MWh of renewable electrical energy per year; enough to power more than 19 000 average South African households.
Alten Solar Power Station, also Kesses 1 Solar Power Station, is a 55 megawatts (74,000 hp) solar power plant under construction in Kenya, the largest economy in the East African Community.
The Zeerust Solar Power Station is a 75 MW (101,000 hp) solar power plant in South Africa. It is a grid-connected, privately-owned and privately-funded solar power station.
The Boikanyo Solar Power Station is a 50 MW (67,000 hp) solar power plant in South Africa. It is a grid-connected, privately owned and privately funded solar power station. The power station, which took about one year to construct, reached "grid code compliance" on 9 April 2021 and provided 450 construction jobs.
The Greefspan II Solar Power Station, also Greefspan 2 Solar Power Station, is a 63.2 MW (84,800 hp) solar power plant in South Africa. It is a grid-connected, privately owned and privately funded solar power station. The solar farm began commercial operations in September 2021. The power station, whose construction started in 2018, was completed in December 2020. The nine months between completion and commercial commissioning were spent performing "grid connection tests" and other calibrations.
The Caraculo Solar Power Station is a planned 50 MW (67,000 hp) solar power plant in Angola. The power station is in the planning stage, by a consortium comprising Eni, the Italian energy multinational, in collaboration with Sonangol, the Angolan energy parastatal.
The Garob Wind Power Station is an operational 145 MW (194,000 hp) wind power plant in South Africa. The power station was developed and is owned by Enel, the Italian manufacturer and distributor of electricity and gas infrastructure, through its subsidiary Enel Green Power of South Africa (EGPRSA). Construction of this wind farm started in April 2019 and achieved commercial operation in December 2021. The energy generated at this wind farm is sold to the South African national electricity utility company Eskom, under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
The Bwengu Solar Power Station is a 50 megawatts solar power plant, under construction in Malawi. The power station is under development by a consortium led by Quantel Renewable Energy, an independent power producer (IPP), based in the United States. Construction began in February 2022, with commercial commissioning expected in the first quarter of 2023. The energy generated at this solar farm is expected to be sold to the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM), under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA).
The Roggeveld Wind Power Station is an operational 147 MW (197,000 hp) wind power plant in South Africa. The power station, which began commercial operations in March 2022, was developed and is owned by Building Energy. The energy generated at this wind farm is sold to the South African national electricity utility company Eskom, under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
The Ambatolampy Solar Power Station is a 40 MW (54,000 hp) solar power plant in Madagascar. As of April 2022, it was the first grid-connected, privately-funded solar power plant in the country. The power plant, which was first commissioned in 2018, underwent expansion from 20 MW to 40 MW, between 2021 and 2022. The off-taker of the energy generated at this renewable energy power plant is Jirama, the national electricity utility company.
The Xina Solar One Power Station is a 100 MW (130,000 hp) concentrated solar power plant in South Africa. Constructed between 2014 and 2016, the power station was commercially commissioned in 2017. The solar component of this power station is complemented by molten salt thermal storage technology, which allows the power station to provide full power for another 5.5 hours, after the sun goes down, thus supplying energy during South African peak hours. The consortium that owns the solar farm comprises a foreign independent power producer (IPP), two domestic finance development companies and a local charity. The energy generated here is sold directly to Eskom, the South African national electricity utility company, under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
The Karoshoek Solar One Power Station, also Karoshoek Concentrated Solar Power Station, is a 100 megawatts concentrated solar power plant in South Africa. The solar component of this power station comprises curved mirrors that heat a fluid to a high temperature. The hot fluid is used to heat water, creating steam. The steam then "drives a steam turbine to convert the energy into electricity". That part of the power station is complemented by molten salt thermal storage technology, which "allows five hours of energy storage, enabling the plant to continue producing electricity in the absence of sunlight", supplying energy during South African peak hours. The consortium that owns the solar farm comprises foreign and domestic independent power producers (IPPs) and local and international financiers and other investors. A 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA), between the owners and Eskom, the South African electric utility company, governs the sale of the generated energy to Eskom, the off-taker. The power station achieved commercial commissioning in November 2018.
The TeraSun Energy Solar Power Station is a planned 81 megawatts solar power plant in Namibia. The power station is owned and is being developed by a consortium comprising Natura Energy, a Namibia-based energy company and Globleq Africa Limited, an independent power producer (IPP), headquartered in the United Kingdom.
The Dyason's Klip 1 Power Station,, is an 86 megawatts solar power plant in South Africa. The power station was developed and is owned and operated by a consortium comprising an international independent power producer (IPP), South African and European investors and a local charitable trust. Commercially commissioned in February 2020, the solar farm's 217 GWh of energy production annually is sold to Eskom, the national electricity utility company, under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA).
The Prieska–Total Solar Power Station, also Mulilo Prieska Solar Power Station, is an 86 megawatts solar power plant in South Africa. The solar farm was developed and is owned by a consortium comprising five independent power producers (IPPs), development finance companies and private investment firms. The power station owners formed a special purpose vehicle (SPV) company called Mulilo Prieska PV (RF), to design, finance, construct, own, operate and maintain the power station and related infrastructure. The off-taker of the energy generated here is Eskom Holdings, the public electricity utility parastatal of South Africa. A 20-year power purchase agreement between Murillo Prieska PV and Eskom, governs the sale and purchase of electricity between the power station and the electric utility.
The Omburu Solar Power Station, is a 20 megawatts solar power station in Namibia. The power station, which was developed and is owned by Namibia Power Corporation (Proprietary) Limited (NamPower), was constructed between March 2021 and June 2022 and was commercially commissioned on 24 June 2022. NamPower integrates the energy generated here, calculated at 67.8 GWh annually, into the Namibian grid. This is the first grid-connected PV solar power station, fully owned and operated by NamPower.
The Karusa Wind Power Station, is a 147 MW wind-power plant in South Africa. The wind farm which achieved commercial commissioning in June 2022 was developed by Enel Green Power, a subsidiary of Enel, the Italian energy conglomerate. Under a 20-year power purchase agreement, the power station sells the energy generated here to Eskom Holdings, the national electricity utility parastatal company.
The Sirius 1 Solar Power Station, is an 86 MW solar power station in South Africa. The power station was developed by a joint venture between Aurora Power Solutions and Sirius Solar PV Project One. The off-taker of the energy generated here is Eskom Holdings, the South African national electricity utility parastatal company. A 20-year power purchase agreement between Eskom and the owners of the power station, governs the purchase and sale of electricity between the two. Commercial commissioning was achieved in February 2020.
