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 iii
5.5 Construction phase impacts .................................................................................. 143
5.6 Recommendations ................................................................................................ 144
5.6.1 Considerations in identification of preferred alternative ........................... 144
5.6.2 Compliance with Equator Principles........................................................ 145
5.6.3 Opinion with respect to environmental authorisation ............................... 145
5.7 way forward .......................................................................................................... 147
6 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 148
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1: Location of the proposed wind and solar energy facilities and associated substation
on five farm portions near Springbok in the Northern Cape ........................................ 3
Figure 1.2: The EIA process in terms of NEMA ........................................................................ 14
Figure 3.1: Brazos Wind Ranch located in Texas, USA ............................................................ 33
Figure 3.2: Typical components of a horizontal axis wind turbine ............................................. 34
Figure 3.3: Preliminary area within which turbines of the proposed wind energy facility would be
located on farms near Springbok in the Northern Cape ............................................ 36
Figure 3.4 Revised area within which turbines of the proposed wind energy facility would be
located on farms near Springbok in the Northern Cape ............................................ 37
Figure 3.5: A wind turbine in the process of being erected ....................................................... 35
Figure 3.6: Components of PV technology: (i) Solar cell, (ii) module and (iii) array ................... 42
Figure 3.7: Preliminary focus area of the proposed solar energy facility on farms near Springbok
in the Northern Cape ................................................................................................ 43
Figure 3.8 Revised focus area of the proposed solar energy facility on farms near Springbok in
the Northern Cape .................................................................................................... 44
Figure 3.9: Basic PV system layout .......................................................................................... 45
Figure 3.10: PV ground mounted system ................................................................................. 45
Figure 3.11: CPV energy facilities in the southern area of Spain . Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 3.12: Solar panels can be mounted via (a) fixed axis photovoltaic systems, (b) single
axis tracking PV systems and (c) dual axis tracking systems .................................... 52
Figure 4.1 Platbakkies Succulent Shrubland with dwarf succulent shrubs amongst small
boulders (McDonald, 2012) ..................................................................................... 58
Figure 4.2 Dwarf shrubland on shallow calcrete. Such areas although within the Bushmanland
Arid Grassland show affinities to the Platbakkies Succulent Shrubland (McDonald,
2012) ........................................................................................................................ 58
Figure 4.3 Part of the ‘Solar Focus Area’ at Areb (No. 75, Remainder) within the site. The track
runs lengthwise through the seasonal drainage line (McDonald, 2012) .................... 59
Figure 4.4 Parkinsonia africana (wild green hair tree) in the ‘Solar Focus Area’. (McDonald,
2012) ........................................................................................................................ 59
Figure 4.5: Vegetation of the Kangnas study area .................................................................... 60
Figure 4.6: Vegetation types of the area ................................................................................... 61
Figure 4.7: Locations of important bird species at the proposed wind and solar energy facility
sites. (Source: D Harebottle, 2012) ........................................................................... 71
Figure 4.8: Observed flight paths of eight priority bird species at the proposed wind and solar
energy facilities as observed during a field survey from 24-28 June 2012. (Source: D
Harebottle, 2012) ...................................................................................................... 72
© Aurecon (2012) No unauthorised reproduction, copy
or adaptation, in whole or in part, may be made.
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