Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ...

Northern Cape PSDF
Volume 2
December 2011
The portions of the Northern Cape that border on the Orange River and Namibia have the
highest solar radiation intensity in Southern Africa (SOER, 2011). The Map below illustrates
the measured annual direct and diffuse solar radiation of the Northern Cape in context of
the country as a whole 3 .
Map C.2: Annual direct and diffuse solar radiation in South Africa (Source: CSIR et al, 2001).
C.2 HYDROLOGY AND WATER
King et al (2009) state that ‘water is considered one of the most essential of all natural
resources. Due to the nature of water resources and the importance of water for the
perpetuation of life, interventions through supply or demand management are required in
order to meet social and economic goals such as: efficacy, economic efficiency, equity,
environmental impacts, fiscal impacts, political and public acceptability, sustainability and
administrative feasibility. Water of acceptable quality is both necessary for the improvement
of the quality of life and is essential in the maintenance of all forms of life. The availability of
3
The average daily solar radiation in South Africa varies between 4.5 and 6.5 kWh/m. the radiation of the
Northern Cape is between 8.501 and 9.500 kWh/m 2 . The total area of high radiation in South Africa
amounts to approximately 194 000 km 2 and it includes the Northern Cape. If the electricity production
per km 2 of mirror surface in a solar thermal power station is 30.2 MW and only 1 % of the area of high
radiation is available for solar power generation, then generation potential is already approximately 64
GW. A mere 1.25 % of the area of high radiation could thus meet projected South African electricity
demand in 2025 (80 GW) (Pegels, 2009).
Office of the Premier &
Department of Rural Development & Land Reform
14
Dennis Moss Partnership