With more than 30 utility-scale wind projects now operational across South Africa, wind is gaining speed as an important component of the country’s energy mix.
Indeed, the wind energy sector is gaining momentum as more projects go online as part of government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Procurement Programme (REIPPP).
According the South African Wind Energy Association (Sawea), South Africa leads the charge in Africa, accounting for 30% of the continent’s 9GW of installed wind energy capacity.
Sawea anticipates the sector launching 3.2GW in new projects through bid window 7 of the REIPPP, which closes for submissions on 30 April, with ongoing negotiations suggesting an additional 3GW already in the works.
Read: Work begins on South Africa’s biggest wind farm
But of the more than 30 wind farms currently producing energy in South Africa, which are the biggest – and how much power do they produce?
TechCentral has a look at the 10 biggest wind farms across the country.
1. Roggeveld, 147MW
The Roggeveld Wind Farm is a 147MW project owned by Red Rocket. The farm is located along the mountainous boundary between the Western Cape and Northern Cape near the towns of Laingsburg, Matjiesfontein and Sutherland. The Roggeveld wind farm generates around 613GWh/year, satisfying the energy needs of around 49 200 homes.
2. Soetwater, 147MW
Owned by Enel Green Power and located in a remote part of the Karoo Hoogland municipality in the Northern Cape, the Soetwater wind farm produces 585GWh of energy annually, displacing 600 000t of carbon emissions per year and covering the energy requirements of about 67 917 households. Construction at Soetwater began in November 2019 and the plant became operational in July 2022.
3. Garob, 145MW
Also owned by Enel Green Power, the Garob wind farm, which is located near the remote Northern Cape town of Copperton in the Siyathemba municipality, is able to generate 573GWh/year. The output, from 46 turbines, displaces about 600 000t of carbon and meets the energy requirements of an estimated 74 583 homes. Construction at Garob began in April 2019 and the project was officially plugged into the national grid in December 2021.
4. Longyuan Mulilo, 144MW
Owned by Chinese Longyuan Power Group, the Mulilo facility comprises 96 wind turbines, each equipped with 1.5MW capacity. The wind farm is situated 15km south-west of De Aar. Mulilo’s commercial energy production began in November 2017.
5. Khobab, 140.3MW
Situated in the Hantam municipal area 60km north of Loeriesfontein in the Northern Cape, Khobab Wind Farm spans 8 500 acres of agricultural land and comprises 61 99m-high wind turbines. When operating at full capacity, Khobab generates around 563GWh/year and is expected to supply electricity to power up to 170 000 South African homes, displacing approximately 550 000t of carbon emissions each year. Khobab is owned by a consortium comprised of the Khobab Renewable Energy Community Trust and Thebe Investment Corporation, led by Dutch company Lekela.
6. Loerisfontein, 140.3MW
Loeriesfontein is the twin to the Khobab Wind Farm and owned by the same consortium. The wind farm spans some 8 500 acres of agricultural land and comprises 61 99m-high wind turbines. Loerisfontein produces 535GWh of energy per year, ensuring the energy needs of up to 161 300 South African homes and displaces 550 000t of carbon emissions yearly.
7. Karusa, 140MW
The 147MW Karusa wind farm was connected to the electricity grid in 2022. Another project by Enel Green Power, the Karusa wind farm is located in the Karoo Hoogland district of the Northern Cape. The project generates more than 500GWh annually, potentially avoiding the emission of approximately 500 000t of carbon into the atmosphere and powering 74 269 homes. According to the Enel Green Power website, the Vestas V136-4.2MW wind turbines used at Karusa are the largest in Africa.
8. Oyster Bay, 140MW
Also by Enel Green Power, the Oyster Bay wind farm, which has 41 wind turbines, is located near the coastal town of Oyster Bay in the Kouga municipality in the Eastern Cape. The project produces 568GWh/year powering 79 444 homes. Construction began in 2019 and the site became operational in 2021.
9. Nxuba, 139MW
This wind farm in Nxuba in the Eastern Cape is located near the rural town of Bedford. Nxuba produces 460GWh of electricity yearly, powering 63 889 homes. Construction began in 2018 and was completed in September 2020. The site started producing energy in 2021.
10. Cookhouse, 138.6MW
Cookhouse Wind Farm is owned by Old Mutual, various funds managed by African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) and the local community trust. The wind farm comprises 66 Suzlon S88 (2.1MW) wind turbine generators and has an installed capacity of 138.6MW. It is situated 7km east of Cookhouse in the Blue Crane Route municipality in the Eastern Cape, and spans 6 400 acres. Construction of the wind farm commenced in February 2013, and it first supplied electricity to the grid in March 2014. It can supply 341GWh/year of energy to the national grid, or enough to power 43 000 medium-income homes while displacing 384 000t of carbon emissions each year. — (c) 2024 NewsCentral Media