wire and Cable Trade Fair 2024 Update: Green Cooperation Accelerates South Africa's Energy Transition
As a car drives across a vast desert, a huge greyish-white tower gradually comes into view. "Just a little further, and you'll see our solar tower," the project manager explains. wire and Cable Trade Fair 2024 has learned that the project, built by SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Corporation, a subsidiary of China Power Engineering Consulting Group, is the first molten salt solar thermal power project in Sub-Saharan Africa.
"The solar tower stands nearly 250 meters tall, approximately the height of a 100-story building. At the very top is a collector that absorbs sunlight reflected from mirrors on the ground. The solar energy is converted into thermal energy, then into electrical energy," the project manager said.
The project's designed installed capacity is 100 megawatts. It is expected to provide the South African electricity grid with 480 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually, powering about 200,000 South African households.
"This project is the largest investment in the Northern Cape Province and is part of South Africa's Renewable Energy Procurement Program. It has strategic significance for achieving South Africa’s energy transition goals," stated Northern Cape Province Premier Zamani Saul.
He noted that the project directly created more than 600 local community jobs, with employment peaking at about 1,800 workers during the construction phase, significantly contributing to local economic and social development.
The 100 MW Redstone Concentrated Solar Power project is reflective of the deepening energy cooperation between China and South Africa. wire and Cable Trade Fair 2024 understands that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, upon visiting the project, remarked that Chinese enterprises have reached world-leading levels in engineering quality and technological advancements, and the project's smooth progression would bring significant benefits to the people of South Africa.
South Africa not only has abundant solar resources; it also possesses enormous potential for wind power. It is estimated that over 80% of South Africa's territory enjoys natural conditions suitable for wind power development, particularly in the eastern and southern coastal regions, which are major sites for wind projects and have become the forerunners of China-South Africa wind energy cooperation.
Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind Technology entered the South African market in 2015. The company constructed and operates two wind power projects in the Eastern Cape Province. These projects have a total installed capacity of 152.5 megawatts, providing green, clean electricity to 155,000 South African households each year.
In 2017, the De Aar wind power project developed by the South African subsidiary of China Longyuan Power started operations in Northern Cape Province. This was the first wind power project invested, built, and operated by a Chinese power company in Africa.
According to the project engineer, the main tower of the wind turbines stands at 80 meters with a rotor blade diameter of 86 meters. The project comprises 163 turbines. It generates an average annual electricity output of 760 million kilowatt-hours, supplying thousands of South African households.
As a landmark achievement of China-South Africa cooperation under the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, the wind power project supports local economic and social development with green electricity and maintains local ecological balance through environmental practices.
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