Standing Out Magazine | NOVEMBER 2022
RENEWABLE ENERGY
What do those turbines do? We got some insights from Globeleq, the leading independent power company in Africa.
Ever driven out of Cape Town up the coast on the N2 and
impressive 132m. Both wind farms have a 20-year Power
stared in awe at those massive turbines in the farmlands outside
Purchase Agreement with Eskom and an Implementation
Caledon? Or gotten as far as the Eastern Cape for your summer
Agreement with the Government of South Africa.
holiday and wondered why they seem to be taking over the landscape in the St Francis Bay area? Read on.
COMMUNITY UPLIFTMENT As with all of Globeleq’s other similar projects, a percentage
Spanning some 3 700 hectares with 60 wind turbines, the
of revenues is spent on socio-economic and enterprise
Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm (just outside Humansdorp and
development programmes. Enterprise Development
visible from St Francis Bay) is one of the largest wind farms
includes initiatives to assist and accelerate the sustainability
in South Africa. It is connected to a 132-kilo Volt (kV) Eskom
of local enterprises, while socio-economic development
distribution line. It generates approximately 450 600 megawatt
initiatives promote access to the economy for all people.
hours (MWh) per year, supplying enough clean renewable
In addition to various development projects, the
electrical energy to power more than 100 000 average South
communities also have equity. For example, six percent
African households. Just outside Caledon, the Klipheuwel
of the Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm is owned by the Amandla
Wind Farm generates approximately 86 gigawatt hours per
Omoya Trust. This ownership level is significantly higher
year, supplying enough energy to power more than 19 000
than the government’s minimum threshold of 2.5% local
average homes.
ownership. The loan will be repaid through the shareholder
CLEAN ENERGY Electricity produced from wind is clean and renewable. Wind generation reduces the country’s reliance on coal-fired generation, which emits CO2 and other damaging gases into the environment. Wind energy does not consume water during the generation process it also helps preserve scarce water resources.
dividends generated by the project and thereafter the Trust will use its share of the dividends to benefit the local community within the Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, Hankey and Patensie areas.
INCREASED BIODIVERSITY The Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm’s Biodiversity Advisory Committee – which includes bird specialists,
In the Jeffreys Bay Farm, the wind turbines are 80m tall to
environmentalists and wind farm employees – works hard
allow for optimum energy production, however, when one
to ensure that the surrounding area’s biodiversity is not
of the blades stands vertically, the turbine’s tip height is an
critically impacted by its operations, but rather improved.
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