Premier's 30th Energy Digicon puts focus on importance of IPPs

Media Release: Cape Town-based independent power producer showcases "green energy" achievements at Premier’s 30th Energy Digicon

Premier Alan Winde’s 30th Energy Digicon looked at the growing and important role of independent power producers (IPPs) in addressing South Africa’s energy crisis. IPPs are helping to end rolling power cuts and drive the country’s transition to renewable energy.

Sharief Harris, Head of Development at Cape Town-based IPP Red Rocket, was Premier Winde’s special guest this week.

“We have 1.8 GW of projects across the continent that are either currently in operation, under construction, or have been awarded and are moving towards financial closure and commencement of construction in the next year,” Mr Harris explained.

Red Rocket’s various energy projects cover the full range of renewable energy sources, both in South Africa and abroad:

• Kruisvallei hydro project is located along the Ash River in the Free State. This hydroelectric plant will generate 24 GWh of electricity annually, catering to the power needs of around 1916 households;
• Roggeveld Wind is a wind energy facility near Laingsburg that will produce 613 GWh of power annually, powering nearly 50 000 homes;
• Kathu Solar is located in the Northern Cape and generates approximately 150 GWh of power per year; and
• Tororo Solar North Limited is a special purpose vehicle company that will operate a 10 MW photovoltaic plant in Uganda.

Resolving the energy crisis by embracing “green energy” presents multiple opportunities like job creation and moving away from the country’s reliance on environmentally damaging fossil fuels.

Mr Harris said that 200 jobs were created during the construction of the Roggeveld Wind farm. Twenty people are permanently employed to run the facility. During the construction of two other projects, the Brandvalley and Rietkloof Wind farms, 400 jobs were created, with 50 full-time employees managing the facilities.

Much of the material and parts used in the building of these renewable energy projects are manufactured locally.

The Premier said, “We are on a mission to empower the private sector generally, and especially IPPs, such as Red Rocket, to help us reach our target of generating 5700 MW of power for the Western Cape over the next several years. Only through fostering partnerships with businesses will we be able to end power cuts.”

To watch a recording of this week’s digicon visit:

https://www.youtube.com/live/to5yPNTeELc?feature=shared