Construction World October 2020

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

STAKE DISPLAYS CONFIDENCE IN POWER SECTOR

T his transaction is strategic and complementary to both Mulilo and STANLIB. It provides Mulilo with a robust ͤQDQFLDO SDUWQHU WKDW KDV DQ DSSHWLWH WR invest in new developments and planned growth. Similarly, it offers STANLIB access to a leading South African renewable energy platform with a strong development pipeline, of close to 3 gigawatts (GWs) of large-scale wind and solar PV projects. The parties have announced their intention to participate in the strategic infrastructure 2 000 MW Risk Mitigation

Power Procurement Programme, as well the future Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REI4P) Round 5 and further bidding rounds. Additionally, Mulilo is involved in several projects that provide clean energy to large industrial and commercial energy users, across the country. The renewable energy market in South Africa is set to exponentially grow over the next decade in line with the gazetted 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which outlines increased allocations for both

wind and solar PV power, up to 2030. Furthermore, with the expected decommissioning of over 24 GWs of coal power plants, in the period beyond 2030 to 2050, the country’s IRP has further opened up opportunities for the renewable energy sector to support the country’s post- COVID-19 economic recovery plan. Mulilo is one of South Africa’s largest renewables groups with a combined operational capacity of close to 500 MWs of solar PV and wind projects. It has a development pipeline of renewable energy

EXCELSIOR WIND FARM HEADS TOWARDS COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS

B ioTherm Energy has announced that its 33 MW Excelsior Wind Energy Facility, in the Western Cape, is now connected to the country’s national power grid, having successfully completed the commissioning of its thirteen wind turbine generators. 7KLV LV WKH ͤUVW ZLQG IDUP LQ WKH :HVWHUQ &DSH SDUW RI WKH Government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REI4P), Bid Window 4, to reach this key milestone. This Independent Power Producer (IPP), which commenced construction almost two years ago, is expected to achieve its Commercial Operations Date next month, when it will begin generating over 132 GWh of renewable power each year. The wind farm is connected to the grid through an on-site substation and a dedicated 132 kV power line connecting to the Vryheid substation, located close to the plant in Swellendam. “We are pleased to mark this pivotal point in the construction of Excelsior Wind, with all thirteen wind turbines commissioned and

FRQQHFWHG WR WKH SRZHU JULG DQG DUH FRQͤGHQW WKDW ZH̵OO EH DEOH to announce the commercial operations next month,” said Robert Skjodt, CEO of BioTherm Energy. The portfolio of South African IPPs, developed by BioTherm Energy, also includes Aggeneys Solar, Konkoonsies II Solar and Golden Valley Wind. Additionally, the company’s portfolio reaches over the South African borders, to include the 100 MW Kipeto Wind, in Kenya. The REI4P represents the governments’ most comprehensive and successful strategy to achieving a transition to a green economy, with IPPs located across the country, in alignment with the prevalence of renewable energy resources. Wind projects are predominantly located along the coastal regions, including nine procured in the Western Cape. The Province has three wind farms presently under construction, which form part of the 27 Bid Window 4 IPPs that will collectively add 2 300 MW to the country’s struggling national power grid, once they are all on line. ƒ

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