Enel Green Power grows South Africa's solar sector

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Enel Green Power (EGP) has just announced that it will begin construction of three solar PV plants with immediate effect in a move that will provide the South African solar sector with a much needed shot in the arm.

EGP is an Italian renewable energy provider that has a notable presence in Europe and the Americas; the company has over 700 plants globally and also specialises in renewable energy governance.  

The plants will have a combined capacity of 231MW and will be installed in the Northern Cape, Western Cape and Limpopo Provinces; in Aurora, Tom Burke and Paleisheuwel. Energy generated by the solar plants will be sold to the South Africa’s national grid utility ESKOM.

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The PV plant at Aurora in the Northern Cape Province will generate annually nearly 170 GWh of solar energy, which is enough to power roughly 53,000 South African homes. The Paleisheuwel PV plant in the Western Cape Province, will generate more than 153 GWh of solar power per year, powering nearly 48,000 households. The Tom Burke plant, located in the Limpopo Province, will be able to generate up to 122 GWh per year.

The contracts were awarded by EGP in the third phase of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) tender held by the South African government in 2013. This strategy aims to supplement the South African government target of 10,000 GWh worth of renewable energy by tasking the private sector with providing 3,725 GWh
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This contribution by EGP is solid proof that multinational companies have nothing to fear when it comes to investing in South Africa, even when it comes to its ailing energy sector; it proves that this much needed utility can be equitable.