Eastern Cape Leads South Africa with More than 6,000 Megawatts of Wind Power Planned

---

Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Johannesburg, South Africa)--South Africa's Eastern Cape province, which has an Indian Ocean coast line, is building up a major pipeline of proposed windfarm projects. Wind power projects with a combined capacity of more than 6,000 megawatts (MW) are at various stages of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, which makes the province the leading region for wind power in South Africa. The total potential output of the projects in the EIA process exceeds the power output capacity of the 4,788-MW, mega-thermal, coal-fired power station under construction at Lephalale, in South Africa's northern Limpopo province.

Countrywide, windfarm projects totaling 9,345 MW are planned. Major projects planned for the Eastern Cape, including Terra Power's 1,173-MW project in the Blue Crane Route municipality and Windlab's 700-MW project between the small inland towns of Cookhouse and Bedford.

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC), with an industrial development zone (IDZ) and the new Port of Ngqura with a container terminal and logistics center, is one of South Africa's leading players in the green energy sector, which will create jobs, create revenue and advance economic development and transformation in the province. Ayanda Viklakazi, who is CDC marketing and communications manager, said that the IDZ presents the ideal manufacturing platform for renewable energy components.

Electrawinds has invested $160 million in the 45-MW Coega windfarm. In addition to the wind projects, 7,000 MW of solar power developments have been announced and Langa Energy has confirmed funding for a 100-MW photovoltaic (PV) facility in Berlin, which is an area outside King Williams Town.

Given the volume of both wind energy and solar power projects in the province and nationally, there is a solid case for the component manufacturing of wind power and solar energy technologies in South Africa, Vilakazi said, particularly for solar PV and off-grid technologies. The South African government is committed to reducing the country's carbon footprint and supports green technologies through various incentives. The 7,000 MW of solar power that is planned has increased the demand for local manufacturing of solar PV panels, he said.

View Project Report - 200003593 85000283

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.