Germany-based renewable power developer juwi has commenced the construction of a 7MW solar park in Rustenburg, South Africa.
The solar farm will have a total module surface of 94,650mt2 to produce 12.5 million KWh of clean energy per annum.
Momentous Technologies, Momentous Solar Farm, Momentous Foundation and Evolution One Fund are the joint owners of the farm alongside a local community trust with 17% interest.
The solar power plant will be connected to the local Eskom grid in mid-October 2013 and will feed electricity into the grid starting November 2013.
juwi Renewable Energies head of operations Greg Austin noted that the decentralized expansion of renewable energies will offer the local region greater economic development and value.
"This is truly a great start for South Africa’s energy transition towards 100 percent renewable energy power production as well as in terms of local economic development," said Austin.
The farm is first of the four EPC contracts bagged by the company during the first tendering round under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme.
Construction and engineering phase of the project will create 200 new jobs for the locals; on completion the project will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6000 tons annually.
Momentous Operations Services will maintain and operate the solar farm while juwi is subcontracted for the same for the first five years from its state of the art control room situated in Wörrstadt, in Germany.