Abengoa to build 100MW solar power plant in South Africa

Spain-based Abengoa has secured a contract from the South African Department of Energy (DOE) to build a 100MW of parabolic trough power plant in the country.

The Xina Solar One project will be developed close to the Pofadder city in Northern Cape province, where Abengoa is currently building other 100MW concentrating solar power plant.

Abengoa CEO Manuel Sanchez Ortega said that this project once again illustrates the maturity of solar-thermal technology, which can be efficiently stored and used when it is needed.

"This clean and non-polluting energy will improve the future of our planet and will help to reduce countries’ energy dependency," Ortega added.

"We are extremely satisfied with the trust that has been placed in us by the South African government and the partners that accompany us in this project."

The plant is expected to produce enough energy to fulfill the needs of 90,000 households, while curbing the emission of 315,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

Construction of the plant, which will feature a five-hour thermal energy storage system using molten salts, is expected to begin in 2014.

The plant will be 40% owned by Abengoa and other owners will be South African Industrial Development Corporation, the Public Investment Corporation and KaXu Community Trust.

The goal of the South African government is to have upto 17,800MW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.