SunPower Corp., a global solar technology and energy services company, and AE-AMD Renewable Energy, a joint venture between the Spanish AMDA energía and the South African Alt-E Technologies, as well as its partners have completed two South African ground-mounted solar projects and are now feeding 33 megawatts (MW) into the grid. Both projects, which were constructed by SunPower, are located near Douglas, South Africa in the Northern Cape Province.
Herbert power plant, 22 MW in Douglas, Northern Cape. Image courtesy of AE-AMD. (PRNewsFoto/SunPower Corp.)
Herbert, a 22-MW project, and the 11-MW Greefspan project, were both part of the South African government's Independent Power Producers Procurement Program. The projects jointly sit on more than 160 hectares, or 395 acres, of land and feature 138,000 photovoltaic solar panels on single-axis trackers. The trackers are programmed to follow the sun throughout the day, ensuring that the maximum amount of power is being generated.
Both systems are owned by AE-AMD Renewable Energy and its partners, including the IDEAS Fund, an infrastructure fund managed by Old Mutual Investment Group of South Africa. Electricity generated from the solar power projects will be sold to Eskom.
"The successful completion of these projects, on time, demonstrates what can be achieved with committed and professional partners," said Piero Granelli, AE-AMD CEO. "The projects not only help to alleviate pressure on the country's power supply, but also provide much needed support to the local communities over the lifetime of the plants."
"With the completion of the Herbert and Greefspan projects, SunPower continues its track record of building highly efficient and reliable solar power plants around the globe," said Howard Wenger, SunPower president, regions. "We're now looking forward to continuing our efforts in South Africa as we prepare to begin work on an even larger solar power project in Prieska."
SunPower's majority shareholder, Total, along with Mulilo Renewable Energy and other partners, were selected as preferred bidders for an 86-MW project in Prieska, by South Africa's Department of Energy in the third round of the Independent Power Producers Procurement Program. SunPower is expected to provide Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) services, as well as long-term Operation and Maintenance (O&M) for the project.
The capacity of power plants in this release is described in approximate megawatts on a direct current (dc) basis.
About SunPower
SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) designs, manufactures and delivers the highest efficiency, highest reliability solar panels and systems available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company's quarter century of experience and guaranteed performance to provide maximum return on investment throughout the life of the solar system. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpower.com.