Northern Cape solar plant to reach great heights
A NEW solar tower to be constructed in the Northern Cape will be the second tallest building in South Africa when completed.
The multibillion-rand Redstone Solar Thermal Power Plant, the first of its kind in Africa, is set to be constructed in Postmasburg and will see the revolutionary use of thermal power.
After construction, the Redstone Solar Thermal Power Tower will be 27 metres higher than the Carlton Centre, making it the second highest concrete building in South Africa, the highest being the 269 metre tall Hillbrow Tower in Johannesburg.
The plant will be able to generate 100 MW of energy, enough to power 200 000 houses, and joins joins 26 other renewable energy projects in South Africa which will add 2 300 MW of electricity to the national grid.
The Redstone tower will join the 75 MW Lesedi and 96 MW Jasper photovoltaic (PV) solar power projects already constructed by SolarReserve in the area. Together, the three projects comprise the world’s first combined CSP and PV solar park with a total of 271 MW of generating capacity.
The first of its kind in Africa, the Redstone Solar Thermal Power Project features SolarReserve’s world-leading molten salt energy storage technology in a tower configuration with the capability to support South Africa’s demand for energy when it’s needed most – day and night.
The 100 MW project, with 12 hours of full-load energy storage, will be able to reliably deliver a stable electricity supply to more than 200 000 South African homes during peak demand periods, even well after the sun has set.
Fuelled completely by the sun, with no back-up fuel required, the project also features dry cooling of the power generation cycle as an important element to minimise water use.
The project technology will be based on SolarReserve’s successful Crescent Dunes project in the US, which is complete with construction and currently in final commissioning. “The Redstone project marks an important technology advancement for South Africa in solar power,” SolarReserve’s CEO, Kevin Smith, said.
“Due to the fully-integrated thermal energy storage, the plant will provide dispatchable power on-demand, just like conventional coal, oil, nuclear or natural gas-fired power plants, but without the harmful emissions or hazardous materials and without any fuel cost.
“In addition, the project’s delivered electricity price is the lowest of any concentrating solar power project in the country to date,” Smith added.
The Redstone project will create more than 800 direct jobs during the construction phase, comprised of craft workers on site, and will also create significant additional jobs related to equipment supply, manufacturing, engineering, transportation and other services.
Over 40 percent of the total project value will be provided by South African suppliers – a portion of which will support BBBEE activities.
South African companies will provide investment in the project of at least R2.4 billion and the tax revenue forecast contribution for the Redstone project is estimated to be in excess of R6 billion in income tax over the first 20 years of operation.
In addition, during the more than 30-year operating life, the project will expend over R150 million per year in salaries and other operating costs, including land, insurance, and maintenance activities.