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Solar plants
South Africa
Kaxu Solar One
KaXu Solar One, located near the town of Pofadder in the Northern Cape Province, is the first STE plant to operate commercially in South Africa. The plant started operating in early 2015. Atlantica Yield has a 51 % participation.
It not only provides a clean energy future for South Africa, but also brings economic development to the region.
It not only provides a clean energy future for South Africa, but also brings economic development to the region.
Project details
- KaXu Solar One has a total installed capacity of 100 MW plus 2.5 hours of storage in molten salts.
- Abengoa Solar built the plant and carries out its operation and maintenance. The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), South Africa´s largest development finance institution, holds 29%, and the KaXu Community Trust holds 20%.
- This project contributes to South Africa´s goals of achieving up to 17,800 MW of renewable energy by 2030, and reducing its dependence on oil and natural gas.
Environmental – social – economic benefits
- KaXu Solar One produces enough clean electricity to power 80,000 South African households, while preventing the emission of 300,000 tons of CO2 annually.
- Job creation peaked at over 1,000 positions during construction. Currently, the plant employs 80 people in full-time, long-term, high-paying O&M jobs.
- Abengoa Solar is launching a program that boosts the local business network while designing solid programs for education, protection of disadvantaged groups, and development of new and existing services and infrastructure.
Kaxu Solar One
Location: Pofadder, South Africa Output: 100 MW Technology: parabolic trough with storage Solar field: 775 acres Households supplied with clean energy:80,000 Tons of CO2 emissions eliminated each year: 300,000 Status: in operation Owner: Abengoa Solar, IDC and KaXu Community Trust Operator: Abengoa Solar |
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Khi Solar One
Khi Solar One (50 MW) will be Abengoa´s third commercial solar tower and its first outside of Spain. The tower plant will be located on a 1482 acres site close to Upington, in the Northern Cape Province.
Project details
- The plant, with 2 hours of thermal storage, will use a technologically advanced dry cooling system, which dramatically reduces water consumption by two-thirds.
- The plant will also contain important technological advances in efficiency, using higher temperatures during the generation process, and having more than double the capacity of Abengoa’s previous towers. These advances come as a result of the latest generation of solar tower technology using superheated steam, which was developed by Abengoa in its R&D centers in Spain.
Environmental – social – economic benefits
- Khi Solar One will prevent approximately 183,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year, and will supply clean energy to approximately 45,000 households.
- The plant will create an average of 600 jobs during construction, and approximately 35 permanent, full-time jobs during plant operation.
- It will contribute to South Africa´s goals of introducing up to 17,800 MW of renewable energy by 2030, and reducing its dependence on oil and natural gas.
Khi Solar One
Location: Upington, South Africa Output:50 MW Tecnology: Superheated steam Solar Field: 1482 acres Households supplied with clean energy: 45,000 Tons of CO2 emissions eliminated each year: 183.000 Status: under construction Owner: Abengoa Solar, IDC and Khi Community Trust |
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Xina Solar One
Xina Solar One, Abengoa’s third solar project in South Africa, has a total installed capacity of 100 MW. The construction of this plant started at the end of 2014, and it is expected that it will start operating in 2017. Xina Solar One will be located close to Pofadder, in the Northern Cape Province, next to KaXu Solar One. These two 100 MW plants will jointly shape the largest solar complex in Africa.
Project details
- The 100 MW plant features parabolic trough technology with a five-hour thermal energy storage system using molten salts.
- Xina will belong to a consortium, 40 % of which is controlled by Abengoa. Other members of the consortium are IDC, PIC, and KaXu Community Trust.
- The project will supply clean electricity to Eskom, South Africa's power utility, under a 20-year power purchase agreement.
Environmental – social – economic benefits
- Xina Solar One will produce enough energy to serve more than 90,000 households and will prevent the emission of more than 398,000 tons of CO2 per year when compared to a natural-gas plant.
- Job creation will peak at over 1,300 positions during construction, and 45 permanent positions during plant O&M. This project contributes to South Africa´s goals of introducing up to 17,800 MW of renewable energy by 2030, and reducing its dependence on oil and natural gas.
Xina Solar One
Location: Pofadder, South Africa Output: 100 MW Technology: parabolic trough technology with thermal energy storage system using molten salts (5 hours) Households supplied with clean energy: 90.000 Tons of CO2 emissions eliminated each year: 183.000 Status: Under construction Owners: Abengoa Solar, IDC, PIC and KaXu Community Trust |
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