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 146
Based on the significance of the potential impacts, summarised in Section 5.3 and 5.5, the EAP
is of the opinion that the proposed wind and solar energy facilities and associated substations,
including alternatives, being applied for be authorised as the benefits outweigh the negative
environmental impacts. The significance of negative impacts can be reduced with effective and
appropriate mitigation through a Life-Cycle EMP, as described in this report. If authorised, the
implementation of an EMP should be included as a condition of approval.
It should be noted that the Department of Energy’s (DoE) current renewable energy
procurement program has capped the maximum size of wind and solar energy projects at 140
MW and 75 MW respectively. While there has been no formal information about the project size
cap being lifted various discussions within the industry to increase or remove the cap all
together are taking place. The main drivers for lifting the cap would include:
• Achieving the targets set by the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2010 (11 400 MW of
new build renewable energy). After the first two rounds of the DoE’s procurement
process Eskom’s distribution grid is already getting congested and in locations where
there is good wind and solar resource the distribution grid capacity will be limited and
only smaller projects will be able to connect (< 30 MW). That will require larger projects
to connect to Eskom’s transmission grid which is much more expensive and time
consuming. To ensure affordable projects connecting to transmission grid, projects will
need to be larger than the current caps to continue the current pricing levels as seen in
Round 2;
• To achieve the local economic development goals quicker and with larger impact;
• To get more energy onto the grid at a faster pace to aid in ensuring South Africa’s
energy security. South Africa will not be able to achieve the IRP targets with project
sizes being limited by grid capacity and financial viability;
• To ensure South Africa’s renewable energy becomes even more affordable.
The Kangnas wind and solar projects have been developed at a large scale with a longer term
vision that the project cap will be lifted. The wind and solar projects have been developed to
allow for phases of 75 MW (solar) and 140 MW (wind) to allow the developer flexibility in the
future to suit the future procurement requirements in terms of size.
As the only grid connection for the Kangnas site is the Nama/Aggeneys 220 kV transmission
line, a 140 MW wind or 75 MW solar project will not be competitive nor affordable.
The minimum size for a wind project at the Kangnas site, which would be competitive and
affordable and hence a viable option for DoE to select, would be 280 MW, thus two of the
proposed four phases. Phase A and B would be preferred by the developer due to the superior
resource and limited environmental impacts of these phases.
The minimum size for a solar project at the Kangnas site, which would be competitive and
affordable and hence a viable option for DoE to select, would be 225 MW, thus all three of the
proposed phases.
It should be noted that Eskom’s current future planning for the Nama/Aggeneys 220 kV line is to
upgrade to 400 kV. Should Eskom embark on the 400 kV upgrade in the near future all four
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P:\Projects\108495 Kangnas WEF & PV EIA's\3 Project Delivery\4 Reports\FEIR\FEIR 210213 Final.doc