This further means that it will prevent the emission of six million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

SENER regional managing director, Siyabonga Mbanjwa, told OFM News that this Solar Park, in particular, is extremely unique because it uses concentrated solar power technology. This results in the fact that for five hours after the sun sets, it still manages to generate energy.

Mbanjwa further explained that the solar park will connect to the Eskom grid and Eskom will then transmit the energy as they see fit. Adding the extra capacity will also mean that households that were previously without electricity, will also now be supplied with energy.

The KSP, which was constructed by SENER and ACCIONA Industrial, came into commercial operation on 30 January 2019. This project is part of the South African Government’s Integrated Resource Programme (IRP) of 2010 and it aims to increase the country’s power generation capacity to 86.8 GW by 2030, of which 24% will be renewable.

OFM News previously reported that the initiative was achieved by the engineering and technology groups SENER and ACCIONA Industrial. SENER regional managing director in Southern Africa, Siyabonga Mbanjwa, said: “The use of molten salt as thermal energy storage system will allow Kathu Solar Park to operate in a cost-effective manner, storing the generated energy from the sun, producing and dispatching electricity, in absence of solar radiation, to satisfy the peak of demand.”

ACCIONA Industrial chief operating officer, Roberto Felipe, said: “This project is technologically cutting-edge, and the complexity of both engineering and construction is only comparable to large infrastructure projects.”

OFM News