Northern Cape, South Africa: A landmark second for South Africa’s renewable vitality sector has arrived as building commences on the R4.9-billion Ishwati Emoyeni Wind Farm, a pioneering undertaking that marks the nation’s first large-scale wind farm to achieve monetary shut with an vitality dealer because the offtaker.
The 140 MW wind farm, situated within the Northern Cape, is being developed by a consortium comprising African Clear Vitality Developments (ACED), Vitality Infrastructure Administration Companies (EIMS) Africa, and NOA Group Buying and selling, with monetary backing from the African Infrastructure Funding Managers (AIIM)-managed IDEAS Fund and Reatile Group.
This undertaking indicators a major shift in South Africa’s vitality panorama, as NOA Group Buying and selling, having not too long ago secured its buying and selling licence from the Nationwide Vitality Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), will buy all of the renewable vitality generated by the wind farm. This enables NOA to mixture vitality from varied sources and distribute it by way of the Eskom grid to various offtakers throughout the nation.
“This marks the primary large-scale renewables undertaking in South Africa to achieve monetary shut with an vitality dealer because the offtaker,” defined NOA Group CEO Karel Cornelissen. “We are actually authorised to buy electrical energy from Ishwati, different third-party unbiased energy producers, and NOA’s personal era amenities, mixture it, and wheel it by way of the Eskom grid.”
The Ishwati Emoyeni Wind Farm, that includes 32 Vestas 4.5 MW wind generators, is scheduled to start producing electrical energy in 2026. It joins two different wind farm tasks of the identical dimension, Umsinde Emoyeni and Khangela Emoyeni, developed by the identical consortium within the adjoining space.
“We’re delighted to have closed and commenced building on this advanced and pioneering undertaking – the primary dealer offtake undertaking at scale,” stated ACED CEO James Cumming. “It’s the long-term PPAs we signal, resembling that with NOA right here, that deliver these tasks to life.”
The undertaking’s monetary closure was facilitated by Customary Financial institution South Africa, appearing because the lead arranger. “Along with our companions, we’re proud to be the only mandated lead arranger to this first-of-a-kind undertaking, presenting a long-term answer and response to the market liberalisation in South Africa,” stated Sherrill Byrne, Customary Financial institution undertaking finance, vitality and infrastructure finance govt.
The profitable monetary shut and graduation of building on the Ishwati Emoyeni Wind Farm characterize a major milestone in South Africa’s journey in direction of a sustainable and diversified vitality future. It demonstrates the rising position of vitality merchants in facilitating the mixing of renewable vitality into the nationwide grid and underscores the significance of collaboration between non-public sector gamers and monetary establishments in driving the nation’s vitality transition.
