Final EIAR - Aurecon AME Environmental | Environmental Projects

Proposed Wind and Solar (Photovoltaic) Energy Facilities on Kangnas Farm near Springbok in the Northern Cape: Final EIR 142
It should be noted that three potential positive impacts on energy production and local economy
(employment), climate change and social conditions would result and these would be of lowmedium
(+) significance, with and without mitigation measures.
There was no difference in the significance of the potential impacts resulting from the feasible
alternatives, including the turbine alternatives. However Mainstream has chosen their preferred
option as per the revised layouts based on sensitivity buffers from the specialists along with
technical and financial considerations. The potential impacts of the proposed wind energy
facility main substation for the proposed wind energy facility were assessed within the impacts
of the proposed wind energy facility and were considered to be acceptable.
Solar energy facility
Table 5.1, the most significant (medium (-)) operational phase impacts on the biophysical and
socio-economic environment, without mitigation was for the potential impacts of the proposed
solar energy facility on visual aesthetics. With the implementation of mitigation measures the
impacts on visual aesthetics would remain medium (-).
It should be noted that three potential positive impacts on energy production and local economy
(employment), climate change and social conditions would result and these would be of low (+)
significance, with and without mitigation measures.
There was no difference in the significance of the potential impacts resulting from the feasible
alternatives, including the heights of the panels and CPV vs PV alternatives. However
Mainstream has chosen their preferred option as per the revised layouts based on sensitivity
buffers from the specialists along with consideration of technical and financial considerations.
Mainstream has also chosen the PV technology alternative as their preferred alternative.
However both PV (tracking and fixed) and CPV (tracking) are considered to have similar
impacts and therefore it is requested that both technologies options are approved as the choice
of technology will depend on a detailed tender process before the solar project is submitted into
the DoE’s procurement process. The potential impacts of the proposed main PV substation for
the proposed solar energy facility were assessed within the impacts of the proposed solar
energy facility and were considered to be acceptable.
5.4 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
Section 31(2)(l)(i) of the EIA regulations (GN No. 543 of 2010) required that “An environmental
impact assessment report must contain all information that is necessary for the competent
authority to consider the application and to reach a decision contemplated in regulation 35, and
must include …an assessment of each identified potentially significant impact,
including…cumulative impacts;”. A guideline on cumulative impacts exists (DEAT, 2004) which
notes the difficulties in assessing cumulative impacts within project specific EIA’s.
The potential cumulative impacts were considered within each impact section, where these
could be understood and quantified, for the proposed wind and solar energy projects together
as well as for other similar project in the area as well as any other proposed renewable energy
facilities, where applicable. The significance of these were considered to be of low to high (-)
significance and low to medium (+), without mitigation. These potential cumulative impacts
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