SCATEC SOLAR

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Scatec Solar have been awarded three solar plant projects under the REIPPP Programme

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SoUtH aFrIca’S

SUStaINaBle

Solar FUtUre Scatec Solar are looking to become the biggest provider of solar energy in africa Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Rahim Ali

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catec Solar is an integrated independent solar power producer working in South Africa, aiming to make solar a sustainable and affordable source of energy worldwide. Scatec Solar develops, builds, owns and operates solar power plants and now, in 2014, they deliver power from 220 MW facilities in the Czech Republic, South Africa and Rwanda. The company has seen strong growth over the years and has a solid pipeline of solar projects under development in Africa, US, Japan, Middle East and Europe.

Andrzej Golebiowski, Country Manager for Scatec Solar in South Africa, is pleased with the current growth seen by the company in South Africa: “Since we began operating in South Africa in 2010, we have seen the cost of solar power drop by 70%, which was beyond anyone’s wildest expectations back then. The solar power delivered today through the REIPPP Programme is cheaper in South Africa than the local coal power projects under development

by Eskom.”

Power Hungry

With the ever-rising demand for a sustained and prolonged power supply on the national grid, thanks in part to the business boom in the country, South Africa is seeing regular power shortages and is becoming increasingly dependent on fossil fuels, in particular coal.

Using coal as the primary electricity source has brought challenges on an international level as the international community and regulatory bodies have put marked pressure on all countries to reduce their CO2 emissions and slow the effects of greenhouse gases. South Africa has

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Ibhayi Contracting

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bhayi Contracting’s mission is to contribute towards sustainable economic development that competes globally. This means doing it right the first time, on time, every time to ensure client satisfaction and also to provide a platform for our people to develop to their full potential.

At Ibhayi Contracting we believe that the key to success is to communicate and merge client expectations, our expertise and people in an innovative and passionate way, resulting in sustained relationships.

Based in Port Elizabeth, Ibhayi Contracting is a concrete rehabilitation specialist company in the Eastern Province. Founded in 1996, we have grown over the past eleven years and continue to specialize more and more in areas related to rehabilitation of concrete structures, recently expanding into bridge construction, general civil engineering works and construction of Photovolatic (Solar) parks.

Andrzej Golebiowski, Country Manager

Ibhayi is registered with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) as a level 7CE and 7GB Contractor, has achieved a BBBEE level 3 status.

Ibhayi Contracting also offers the following services in the Solar Industry: 1. Recruitment, training and management of labour resources 2. On-site logistics 3. Ramming of ground support systems 4. The assembly of substructures 5. Installation of modules 8 Woodpecker Street Cotswold Port Elizabeth P O Box 34913 Newton Park Port Elizabeth 6055 Tel 0027 41 365 2871 Email info@ibhayicontracting.co.za

www.ibhayicontracting.co.za

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CURRENT SOLAR PROJECT Energy produced:

150,000 MWh per annum

Project yield:

2,035 kWh/ KWp DC-capacity:

75 MW Substructure-system: Fixed tilted

Providing energy for:

35,000 households

Modules: BYD polycrystalline Inverter-system: SMA Inverters looked at committing to generate the majority of new power creation to come from renewable energy.

“The renewable energy programme launched in 2011, and this opened up a strong pipeline of projects to increase the relatively small solar resource capacity. We have so far been awarded three solar plant projects with a total capacity of 190 MW under the REIPPP Programme (Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme).

The construction of the first plant commenced in early 2013, with expected completion of our third plant in 2014. Scatec Solar will operate the solar plants for at least 20 years,” remarked Golebiowski.

Will Solar Power Last?

Solar energy production is a clean, renewable form of power generation that is in no way affiliated with

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Solar power is a much greener and economically friendly power supply, that once built requires very little modification or repair”

Land-use:

105 ha

non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal and oil, with little or no dependence on limited and expensive natural resources. Although there is unpredictability in the amount and timing of sunlight over the days, weeks, months and years, an appropriate sized and innovative system can be designed to be highly reliable while providing a long-term, fixed price electricity supply with zero carbon and a minimal ecological footprint.

Solar power production generates electricity with a limited impact on the environment, when compared to other forms of electricity production.

“Solar power is a much greener and economically friendly power supply, that once built requires very little modification or repair. Solar power is also extremely fast and simple to build: We constructed Africa’s largest solar power plant [Kalkbult] in less than 12 months, and 90% of the workers were unskilled and largely unemployed

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KaLKbULt, SoUth aFrICa, 75 MW The Kalkbult plant, situated in the Northern Cape region, is currently the largest solar plant in africa. Connected three months ahead of schedule, it was the first REIPPP Programme to be grid connected and operational in South africa. oWnErShIP anD PPa PPa with Eskom for a period of 20 years ProJECt oWnErS Scatec Solar aS (Norway) | Norfund (Norway) Simacel kalkbult Holding (RSa) | Standard Bank (RSa) | old mutual (RSa) ProJECt DEVELoPMEnt anD ProJECt EXECUtIon Scatec Solar was awarded the 75 mw kalkbult project in December 2011. the kalkbult site is the largest project awarded in the 1st bidding round in South Africa, accounting for 12% of overall volume. Scatec Solar initiated the development, partnering with Simacel, a local project developing company.

The 75 MW power plant was completed in record time (January 2013 – September 2013) and was connected to the grid three months earlier than planned. Scatec Solar took the leading role for all EPC activities and managed the construction phase. oPEratIon anD MaIntEnanCE Scatec Solar takes full responsibilities for all o&m services: monitor the plant, take corrective and preventive maintenance measures, reporting to utility and owners.

people from the local communities,� remarks golebiowski.

a renewable Future

with power generation becoming a hot topic in Africa, the implication solar power companies like Scatec Solar building large scale plants could be widespread. Solar power offers a clean and green power source that can enable South africa to cut its over-reliance on coal and petroleum to power generators and energy grids. Cutting down on the use of fossil fuels deposits, which are running out, is paramount for the long term power needs of the country. If solar power is taken up as a serious and competitive power source, South Africa could become a fully sustainable and renewable nation for future generations, leading the way for the rest of the continent in showing how solar can be the future in power creation.

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E n q u iries Tel (UK): +44 (0) 1603 559 151 Tel (SA): +27 (0) 21 527 0053 ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel (UK): +44 (0) 1603 559 152 matthew.bone@outlookpublishing.com

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SCATEC SOLAR SA 163 (PTY) LTD Unit 109B, The Foundry 75 Prestwich Street, Green Point, Cape Town, 8005, South Africa Tel: 0027 87 700 3280

www.scatecsolar.com