RENEWABLE ENERGY
ENERGY ROUND-UP WIND FARM ADDS 110 MW TO GRID
NXUBA WIND FARM OPERATIONAL Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 lockdown, the 140 MW Nxuba Wind Farm in the Eastern Cape has begun generating and delivering energy. Nxuba Wind Farm is one of five projects awarded to Enel Green Power (EGP) South Africa in the fourth round of the country’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) Programme. The wind farm boasts a full production capacity of 460 GWh per year, to be added to the grid. “Nxuba Wind Farm is yet another example of EGP’s commitment to renewables and sustainability in South Africa and globally. We are particularly excited about unlocking the potential of the abundant renewable energy sources in South Africa, as well as supporting the local economy,” says William Price, head of EGP in South Africa. Price explains that the pre-assembly stage involves the installation of as many as 17 concrete tower keystones (portions of sections). This is followed by the main erection of the structure that includes the installation of the five pre-assembled tower sections and other related operations (horizontal joints and tensioning cables), which can take up to two weeks to complete in optimal weather conditions. The completion of the project amounted to 2 million man-hours with zero incidents and involved significant skills transfer. EGP enlisted the services of individuals and SMEs from the Blue Crane Route and Raymond Mhlaba local municipalities, which comprise Adelaide, Cookhouse, Somerset East and Bedford, to help construct the plant.
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The first wind farm from Round 4 of the REIPPP Programme to begin commercial operations, Perdekraal East Wind Farm, will add 110 MW to South Africa’s national grid. Situated in Witzenberg Municipality near Matjiesfontien in the Western Cape, Perdekraal East has 48 turbines generating approximately 360 GWh of energy each year – enough to supply power for 111 000 South African homes. The facility, which is co-owned by renewable power-generation company Lekela and the local community, which has a shareholding though a community trust, has a 20-year power purchase agreement with Eskom. The wind farm will eliminate approximately 410 000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually compared to traditional fossil-fuel power plants. Perdekraal East is one of Lekela’s eight projects on the continent, with four in operation in South Africa, and a further four under construction or development in South Africa, Senegal, Ghana and Egypt. The 140 MW Kangnas Wind Farm in the Northern Cape will reach its commercial operations date later this year. It will use 61 turbines, each producing 2.3 MW, to add around another 500 GWh of clean, economic and renewable energy to the national grid each year. Perdekraal East and Kangnas will join Lekela Power’s three other South African operations already in operation: the 80 MW Noupoort, 140 MW Loeriesfontein 2, and 140 MW Khobab wind farms, all in the Northern Cape.
SA’S SECOND SIGNIFICANT GAS CONDENSATE DISCOVERY Total has made a significant gas condensate discovery on the Luiperd prospect, located on Block 11B/12B in the Outeniqua Basin, 175 km off the southern coast of South Africa. This follows the adjacent Brulpadda play discovery in 2019, which proved to be a significant new petroleum province in the region. Block 11B/12B covers an area of 19 000 km2, with water depths ranging from 200 m to 1 800 m. The Luiperd well was drilled to a total depth of about 3 400 m and encountered 73 m of net gas condensate play in well-developed, good-quality Lower Cretaceous reservoirs. Following a comprehensive coring and logging programme, the well will be tested to assess the dynamic reservoir characteristics and deliverability. “We are very pleased with this second discovery and its very encouraging results, which prove the world-class nature of this
offshore gas play. With this discovery and the successful seismic acquisitions, Total and its partners have acquired important data on the Paddavissie fairway, which will help to progress development studies and engage with South African authorities regarding the possible conditions of the gas commercialisation,” says Arnaud Breuillac, president: Exploration & Production at Total.
