The 23 independent power producer–owned solar power facilities in South Africa

Daniel Puchert

Daniel Puchert

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The solar farms keeping load-shedding at bay in South Africa

South Africa has 23 independent power producer–owned solar power facilities, each contributing more than 75MW of dispatchable power to the grid, with the largest providing 150MW.

The country's independent power producer (IPP) procurement programme aims to add 39GW of capacity to South Africa's energy mix by 2030.
 
I hope Kenhardt can start wheeling their extra capacity through the network to those who need it.
 
Total (largest 25 solar farms)2,072.8MW
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2,072.8MW
These are IPP, so no Capex required by Eskom (taxpayers).
Seems IPP can build quite quickly when allowed to.
Also seems by design they have some reserves for dispatching overnight.

As a comparison Medupi took 14 years to build, can provide about 4,584MW and cost over R234 billion (2019) and requires costly coal and maintenance all the time to generate electricity.
 
Peak demand, according to Eskom's own public data, starts 18:00, when there is no solar production.

Who's lying?
 
wingnut771 said:
Please quote the lying statement.
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Total (largest 25 solar farms)2,072.8MW
Is this peak? Is this total production from sunrise to sunset? Is this overall in a 24-hour cycle?

Lies Lack of specifics is what dumped Spain into a blackout and drove Germany back to coal.
 
LCBXX said:
Total (largest 25 solar farms)2,072.8MW
Is this peak? Is this total production from sunrise to sunset? Is this overall in a 24-hour cycle?

Lies Lack of specifics is what dumped Spain into a blackout and drove Germany back to coal.
Click to expand...
No, its the rated power of the systems which is 2072MWp (p for peak), then you multiple that number by 5 sunhours in winter and you'll get 2027x5 = 10135MWh for the day.

Nobody mentioned peak demand 6 'o clock dinner making time.

a 600W solar panel you buy is 600Wp (PEAK).
 
wingnut771 said:
No, its the rated power of the systems which is 2072MWp (p for peak), then you multiple that number by 5 sunhours in winter and you'll get 2027x5 = 10135MWh for the day.

Nobody mentioned peak demand 6 'o clock dinner making time.

a 600W solar panel you buy is 600Wp (PEAK).
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Careful, you're unintentionally lying over there...
It's not producing 2072MWp @ 09:00am.
 
LCBXX said:
Careful, you're unintentionally lying over there...
It's not producing 2072MWp @ 09:00am.
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No its not, thats where the sunhours come in. The day is longer than 5 hours in winter. Solar is non-dispathable power so you can't look at the power but rather the MWh.
 
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