Abengoa initiates two CSP plants construction in South Africa

Sustainable technology solutions developer Abengoa has begun construction of the 50MW Khi Solar One and 100MW KaXu Solar One concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in South Africa.

The company will also be incharge of the operation and maintainence of the plants with South Africa’s power utility Eskom signing along term power purchase agreements to procure electricity produced by the two plants.

Abengoa partnered with state-owned finance institution, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), to enable the country cut its coal and other fossil fuel dependence for power generation.

The company owns a 51% stake in the projects with IDC holding a 29% stake while the remaining 20% stake is held by Black Economic Empowerment program.

The CSP plants are part of the 28 renewable energy projects approved by the DOE in 2011 to generate 17,800MW of renewable energy by 2030.