Canadian Solar to supply modules for 256 MW North West projects
Solar technology group Canadian Solar has announced that its majority-owned subsidiary CSI Solar had signed a 256 MW module contract with SOLA Group, the Cape Town-based independent power producer that is building two utility-scale projects in South Africa on the back of pioneering private power purchase agreements.
The 126 MWp and 130 MWp apiece projects are located in the North West province and are the first to be registered with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa following a market reform allowing such projects to proceed without a licence.
Construction on the projects, which cover an area of approximately 430 ha, started in October and commercial operation is planned for the first quarter of 2024.
Once in operation, they will generate about 580 GWh yearly and the electricity will be wheeled to one of the largest heavy mineral sands producers in South Africa, Tronox, which operates mines and smelters in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
Canadian Solar will deliver a total of 390 073 BiHiKu7 bifacial modules, which have a power output of up to 670 W and an efficiency of up to 21.6%.
Canadian Solar chairperson and CEO Dr Shawn Qu said he was pleased the BiHiKu7 modules had been selected and that the group looked forward to contributing further to the growth of renewable energy in Africa.
SOLA Group’s Dom Wills noted that the projects were the first large-scale solar projects to be built on the basis of private power purchase agreements.
“We hope the model of private power through bilateral agreements becomes more widely adopted.
“The benefits to the end-user are competition, choice and ultimately a more diverse contribution to the power system," Wills added.
The overall cost of the two projects has been estimated at R4.1-billion.
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