The independent power producer SolarAfrica Energy has officially launched construction works on the first phase of its SunCentral solar park in South Africa’s Northern Cape province. SolarAfrica’s first large-scale solar plant (1 GW) will be built in three phases, with the first one projected to have a capacity of about 342 MW. This first phase is expected to require an investment of about ZAR5bn (US$272m), with the addition of the construction of the main transmission substation of approximately ZAR1bn (US$54.5m). The project is the product of a public-private partnership between SolarAfrica and South African utility Eskom. The project is part of the REIPPPP, the renewable energy supply programme by independent producers set up by the country's government to boost clean energy production and diversify South Africa’s electricity mix.
The installed capacity in South Africa stood at 65 GW at the end of 2023, 77% of which is comes from thermal sources (mainly coal with 73%) while solar represents 9.5%. South Africa has the objective to reach a net zero energy system by 2050 but currently has pressing needs to face widespread power outages.
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