Boikanyo solar power plant (50 MWp) begins business operations

• The Boikanyo solar photovoltaic or pv power plant is beginning its business procedures in South Africa. The plant in the Northern Cape Province has a capability of 50 MWp. This power is fed into the grid of the state-owned business Eskom.

Fortunately in South Africa's dynamic renewable energy industry is enhancing. The capability of the South African national electricity grid is being enhanced by 50 MWp thanks to the Boikanyo solar photovoltaic or pv plant, which was lately put into commercial operation by its proprietor, Boikanyo Solar. The unique purpose automobile set up to construct and operate the new solar plant is owned by a number of investors.

It is the IDEAS Fund, a mutual fund of the African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM). The fund has developed a consortium with the business Reatile Solar Power, Phakwe Solar, African Rainbow Energy as well as Power as well as Cicada Community Trust. The Boikanyo solar power plant lies near the farming community of Douglas in the Northern Cape. The facility occupies 168 hectares of 'reduced value' farmland.

The plant contains 184,000 photovoltaic panels with the ability of supplying 50 MWp of power, with an annual production capacity of 152 GWh. The electrical power generated is fed right into the state-owned Eskom grid from the 132 kV Siyancuma changing station, located near the solar plant. The consortium was awarded the concession under the 4th round of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP).

Under this programme, which was established by the South African government to attract investment from independent power producers (IPPs), the consortium was granted the building and construction of 6 plants. The De Wildt (50 MWp), Waterloo (75 MWp), Bokamoso (68 MWp) as well as Zeerust (75 MWp) solar farms are all situated in the North West Province and linked to the South African national grid.