SOUTH AFRICA SHOPPING FOR NEW ENERGY

South Africa Seeks New Bids for 3,200 Megawatts of Green Energy

Mike Cohen, October 29, 2012 (Bloomberg News)

“South Africa…will open a new bidding round for alternative energy projects that should add an additional 3,200 megawatts of power to the national grid in Africa’s largest economy by 2020.

“The government is targeting 1,470 megawatts from onshore wind projects, 400 megawatts from concentrated solar power and 1,075 megawatts from solar photovoltaic projects…Biomass and biogas projects should each generate 47.5 megawatts, small hydropower projects 60 megawatts and other small projects 100 megawatts…”

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“The country is expanding electricity supply after state-run Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., which generates most of its power from coal, suffered shortages in 2008, leading to mine closures. Besides increasing the supply of renewable energy, the government wants to produce 2,500 megawatts more energy from coal and 2,609 megawatts from hydropower by 2024, and 2,562 megawatts of extra gas power by 2025.

“…The government approved 28 wind, solar and hydropower projects costing 47 billion rand ($5.4 billion) last December and 19 proposals valued at 73 billion rand in May, while a third bidding round is set to be concluded in May…Companies selected to supply 1,275 megawatts of power in the first round have concluded financing arrangements, which were stalled by delays in obtaining government approval…”

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