S Africa says yes to 787 MW of wind, 650 MW of solar bids

Oct 30, 2013 - South Africa’s Department of Energy (DOE) said on Tuesday it had sent letters of appointment as preferred bidders to developers that have proposed 787 MW of wind and 650 MW of solar parks.

The capacity will be installed as part of the third round of the country’s Renewable Energy Procurement Programme (REIPP). The government has selected seven preferred bidders for the construction of the 787 MW of onshore wind parks, six entities for 450 MW of solar photovolatic stations and two developers for 200 MW of concentrated solar power (CPS) systems. Also there is one consortium that will build a 16.5-MW biomass plant and another one for an 18-MW landfill gas facility.

The 17 bidders were chosen from a total of 93 bid responses.

Among the firms that have been awarded the preferred bidder status are Ireland-based Mainstream Renewable Power, which will construct 360 MW of wind farms in Northern Cape, Spanish group Abengoa (MCE:ABG) for a 100-MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant and China Longyuan Power Group Corp Ltd (HKG:0916), which will construct 244 MW of wind parks together with local firms.

The government said it had also sent letters of non-appointment as preferred bidders to 18 companies.

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