Wind Powers Africa – CleanTechnica

In a continent the place 600 million folks haven’t any entry to electrical energy, you will need to faucet into any renewable useful resource that’s accessible. Africa has wealthy wind assets and may get a lot of its wanted energy from the wind. From the information of Afrik21, we learn of many wind farm initiatives — from the giga to the mega. Get out your map and have fun these steps of progress with me as wind powers extra of Africa.

For extra from this area, I’ve beforehand written about electrical automobiles in Africa and the progress of mini grids to harness photo voltaic power.

Egypt — mega and giga

Crimson Sea Wind Power (RSWE) is creating its second wind farm within the Gulf of Suez in Egypt close to the city of Ras Ghareb. Financing is being offered by the Japan Financial institution for Worldwide Cooperation (JBIC) in coordination with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Company, Norinchukin Financial institution, and the French financial institution Société Générale. Collectively, they are going to allow the 500MW challenge to go forward.

Chinese language funding in Africa has elevated tenfold in recent times. Japan needs to stability that. In keeping with the United Nations Convention on Commerce and Growth (UNCTAD), China’s investments in East Africa reached $8.2 billion in 2021.

The Ras Ghareb wind farm has been beneath building since November 2022 and is predicted to begin industrial operations within the third quarter of 2025.

“In keeping with RSWE, the wind farm beneath building will have the ability to present clear electrical energy to greater than 800,000 Egyptian households. It should additionally assist speed up Egypt’s transition to renewable power era and scale back CO2 emissions by roughly 1 million tons per yr after it comes on-line. For the file, RSWE is owned by a consortium consisting of French power firm Engie (35%), Egyptian flagship Orascom Development (25%), Japanese investor Toyota Tsusho Company (20%), and its compatriot Eurus Power Holdings Company (20%).”

As well as, Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Energy is planning to construct a 1,100 MW wind farm in Egypt by 2026.

Dwarfing the RSWE wind farm would be the proposed 10,000 MW Masdar mega wind farm. Maybe we must always name it a giga wind farm. This can turn out to be the biggest renewable power challenge in North Africa, requiring an funding of $10 billion. The land has now been bought.

“That is the challenge of a consortium shaped by the Emirati power firm Masdar; Hassan Allam Utilities, the subsidiary of the Egyptian group Hassan Allam Holding; and Infinity Energy, a three way partnership between the Egyptian firm Infinity Power and Masdar.”

Some considerations have been expressed by environmentalists, because the land bought for the mega challenge within the Gulf of Suez is situated on the migratory route of many chicken species from Europe to winter in Africa, primarily within the Nice Lakes area. There’s a proposal to cease the generators throughout the passage of migratory birds.

The wind farm, which might be able to producing 47,790 GWh of electrical energy per yr, is predicted to scale back Egypt’s annual emissions by round 9% and save not less than $5 billion on the price of pure gasoline. Presently, Egypt produces nearly 60% of its electrical energy from gasoline. Egypt has a strategic aim to acquire 42% of its power from renewable sources by 2030.

South Africa

In South Africa, Crimson Rocket, an impartial energy producer, is constructing three wind farms: the Brandvalley, the Rietkloof and the Wolf. These might be located within the Japanese and Western Cape and have a mixed capability of 373 MW.

“Vestas will provide and set up 64 V150-4.5 MW generators, 12 V163-4.5 MW generators and 5 Enventus V162-6.2 MW generators. The corporate can even preserve the three wind farms beneath a 15-year ‘Energetic Output Administration 5000 (AOM 5000)’ contract.

“’The initiatives will present R740 million ($40.6 million) of group funding over 20 years by way of native social initiatives. The wind farms might be operational by 2024,’ says Matteo Brambilla, Crimson Rocket’s managing director.

“As soon as operational, the Brandvalley, Rietkloof and Wolf wind farms might be able to producing 1,500 GWh of fresh electrical energy every year. Vestas has offered generators for a number of wind farms in South Africa with 1.3 GW capability put in or beneath building.

“Additionally in South Africa, the 89 MW Fort wind farm has begun building. The power will present clear electrical energy for Sibanye-Stillwater’s mining operations close to the city of De Aar, within the Northern Cape province.

“The farm will comprise 16 Goldwind 6 MW generators and might be linked to the nationwide grid through the Hydra foremost transmission station owned by state-owned Eskom.

“’This challenge marks our first main step in implementing our portfolio of over 550 MW of renewable initiatives and is a crucial milestone in our journey in the direction of carbon neutrality by 2040. The challenge is not going to solely play a key function in lowering carbon emissions and mitigating local weather change, however can even ship Sibanye-Stillwater electrical energy financial savings and power safety for operations in South Africa,’ says Neal Froneman, Sibanye-Stillwater’s Chief Govt Officer.”

Kenya

Kenya boasts the Lake Turkana wind farm. It’s the largest in East Africa, with a capability of 310.25 MW.

365 wind generators are unfold over an space of 160 km2 within the district of Loiyangalani, in Marsabit County, about 545 km by street north of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The wind farm is roofed by a 20-year energy buy settlement (PPA) signed between Lake Turkana Wind Energy and the state-owned Kenya Energy Firm.

Wind powers Africa.

Namibia

Namibia is quickly to have a brand new 50 MW wind farm collectively funded by China Power Engineering Company (CEEC) and the Namibian firm Riminii Investments. The farm might be located 16 km from the southern metropolis of Lüderitz within the Karas area on the Atlantic Ocean at a price of $76.6 million.

“The challenge will make a big contribution to NamPower’s provide portfolio when mixed with different era initiatives which can be a part of its built-in technique and marketing strategy,” says Kahenge Haulofu, NamPower’s managing director.

Namibia imports 60% of its electrical energy from Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa. These international locations are experiencing their very own power crises, making energy provide precarious. Presently, seven clear power crops are linked to Namibia’s nationwide energy grid, with a mixed capability of 76.5 MW. The additional 50 MW might be welcome.

Africa

Is it regarding that a lot capital to ascertain these initiatives is coming from the developed world? I hope we aren’t seeing a brand new type of colonialism — capital used to develop renewable power initiatives might promote dependence and never independence for Africa. Wind powers Africa, however in the long run, it stays to be seen who will personal the electricity-generating assets.