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The Plant
The Upington Solar Plant
The Upington solar plant, which is situated in Upington in the Khara Hais municipality in the Northern Cape province, is Enel Green Power’s first photovoltaic solar plant in South Africa. The facility has an installed capacity of 10 MW and is able to generate more than 20 GWh per year. The project’s location is well suited for solar energy generation. This is largely due to the region’s semi-desert climate, which features high concentrations of solar radiation and moderate temperatures.
The facility is supported by a 20-year power supply agreement with South African energy utility provider, Eskom, as part of the government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) tender.
Technology
Solar
Status
In operation
Capacity
10 MW
Energy output
20 GWh per year
CO₂ emissions avoided
More than 10,000 tons
Energy needs met
Approximately 1,000 South African households
Timeline
Milestones
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Community impact
Enel Green Power RSA, with its local partners, is committed to providing meaningful socio-economic, enterprise development, preferential procurement and job creation initiatives to the communities where it operates.
Enel Green Power RSA has partnered with the Oasis Skills Development Centre, which is located near the Upington plant. The facility aims to empower disabled and unemployed youth in the region with various skills. These skills include beadwork, organic food gardening, needlework, furniture production, paving and baking. They are all aimed at preparing people living with disabilities for work opportunities.
Enel Green Power RSA’s donation of educational books and toys to the Oasis Skills Development Centre forms part of its commitment to addressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: “Quality Education.”
Furthermore, Enel Green Power RSA has assisted Ubunye Day Care in the nearby settlement of Louisvale with the necessary tools and facilities for educating children from the community. Contributions included the construction of a new fence, playground equipment and three white prefabricated structures that were built by converting shipping containers and equipping them insulation and air conditioning. The structures now house new desks and furniture, as well as a kitchen (with a refrigerator) where meals can be prepared.