Charis Chrisna
TechInAfrica – Green, renewable energy has been one of the hottest topics to discuss among energy companies for approximately a decade now. Enel, an Italian multinational energy company that is active in the sectors of electricity generation and distribution, recently confirms the construction of Karusa and Soetwater wind farms—both which are in South Africa. Particularly located in the Karoo Hoogland District, Northern Cape province, each of these farms are expected to boast a capacity of 140MW.
Enel, which has started the construction only recently, projects that the wind farms will be operational by the end of 2021. In addition, the company also stated that each of the farms are worth over €200 million (R3.2 billion)—which makes up a total of R6.4 billion for two of them.
Following the approval of the highly anticipated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), South Africa is projected to experience a significant rise in electricity production by the year 2030. By that time, it’s also envisioned that 60% of South Africa’s power demands will be facilitated through coal energy plants—whilst a smaller 18% are going to be outlined via wind power. Furthermore, according to the South African Wind Energy Association, 1,600MW of nameplate capacity per year equates to roughly 640 wind turbines coming online every year for nine years.
Antonio Cammisecra, CEO of Enel Green Power, professed that alongside Karusa and Soetwater plants, the Italian company is also building several wind plants across South Africa. It is expected that the total capacity will reach 700MW in total, whilst maintaining an emission-free policy to the country as well as showing the public that the company has the capabilities to do so. A transition to renewable, green energy is slowly taking form.
Aside from Karusa and Soetwater, Enel has other projects lined up: Nxuba and Oyster Bay in the Northern Cape, and Garob in the Eastern Cape.
“We are showing the same determination when it comes to innovation and sustainability, as all of our plants are being built through state-of-the-art technology and sustainable construction practices, while creating local employment and income opportunities. Looking ahead, we are committed to further leverage on the wealth of renewable energy resources in this country, so we can continue to contribute to its sustainable development and to create shared value for our South African stakeholders,” Cammisecra added.
By the time their constructions are finished, Karusa and Soetwater are expected to generate over 585GWh annually, whilst avoiding the annual emission of around 611 000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Source: itweb.co.za
