The Linde project, located in the Northern Cape region, is the second utility scale solar PV plant Scatec Solar has completed under the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Program and the first of its two projects awarded in the second round. The new solar plant increases its installed capacity in the country to 115 MW.
The completion of the Linde project is a milestone that confirms Scatec Solar’s strong position as an integrated independent power producer,” said Raymond Carlsen, CEO of Scatec Solar. “I am very pleased with my team and partners who have been able to realise this complex project on time and on budget. We have built on the experience gained from our Kalkbult project, and have broadened this with our first installation of a solar tracker system, which will increase the output from the plant considerably.”
The new Linde solar project, muck like Scatec Solar’s first South African project (the 75 MW Kalkbult plant), has been developed by Scatec Solar through its South African joint-venture company Scatec Solar SA. The plant is located at Linde near Hanover in the Northern Cape, a sun-drenched region that boasts some of the best conditions for solar power anywhere in the world.
According to Carlsen, the annual production will be approx. 94 million kWh per year, enough to cover the electricity demand of about 20 000 South African households. Furthermore, the power generated by the plant will be fed into the local grid and sold through a 20-year power purchase agreement with the national utility company, Eskom. A portion of the revenue from the plant as well as the project dividends will be earmarked Socio Economic Development initiatives in the area around the project site.