The 100MW Kathu concentrated solar plant constructed by Acciona Industrial and Sener in South Africa has started commercial operations.
Construction of the plant, owned by an Engie-led consortium, started in 2016.
Kathu is the second such facility built by Acciona Industrial and Sener in the region, following the 50MW Bokpoort solar thermal plant.
Kathu uses Sener’s parabolic trough collectors and a molten salt storage system, so that heat from the solar park can be stored and converted to electricity at night time.
The molten salt storage system provides up to five hours of power generation supplying dispatchable baseload capacity.
Acciona Industrial director of operations and production Roberto Felipe said: “The execution of the Kathu solar park plant has been a success thanks to the excellent team involved in the project, but also for the impact it has had on the economy and population in the province of the Northern Cape in South Africa.”
Sener South Africa regional managing director Siyabonga Mbanjwa said: “With the completion of Kathu Solar Park, we show our firm commitment to the development of a renewable energy industry in South Africa.”
The project is part of the South African government’s Integrated Resource Programme 2010 that aims to increase the country’s power generation capacity to 86.8GW by 2030, of which 24% will be renewable.
Kathu was one of the projects awarded during the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme by the South African Department of Energy.
The joint venture between Acciona Industrial and Sener was appointed by Kathu’s shareholders, which also includes SIOC Community Development Trust, Investec Bank, and Lereko Metier Sustainable Capital Fund.