Wind-generated electricity gives Klipheuwel power
February 22, 2003, 17:30
The biggest wind farm in sub-Saharan Africa, producing clean power
from the force of the wind, is up and running at Klipheuwel in the
Cape. The farm, funded by Eskom at the cost of R42 million, consists
of three huge wind turbine towers.

The biggest turbine tower is 60 metres high, with a blade length of
33 metres, delivering 1,75 megawatts of electricity. It is a three
year experimental project, which will only deliver enough power for 2
500 households, and is one of the options being considered by Eskom
to provide clean renewable energy.

"The real intention is to get as much diversification in our energy
supplies as possible. We already have nuclear and hydro-power and
this is one experimental projects," said Thulani Gcabashe, Eskom's
CEO.

Although highly favoured by the green lobby, wind power has its own
problems. It costs three to four times as much as coal generated
power. A thousand towers of the same size will have to be built to
replace the output of the Koeberg nuclear station. The turbines were
bought from Denmark and France.

Denmark is the world leader, producing 18% of its energy requirements
from the wind, with the advantage of reducing green house gas
emissions by 7%. Further up the West Coast at Darling, the country's
first commercial wind farm is on hold pending environmental impact
approval.

Eskom opens wind turbine power project
Sapa
February 24 2003 at 07:44AM
Stellenbosch - Rising like three giant aircraft propellers on towers
out of the flat farmlands of Klipheuwel, the turbines of South
Africa's first experimental wind energy farm towered above a
ministerial delegation that launched the facility on Friday.

The minister of public enterprises, Jeff Radebe, and the minister of
minerals and energy, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, unveiled a plaque after
the three Eskom-sponsored wind turbines were ceremonially named by
Khoisan traditional chief Joseph Little.

One turbine was named Khoebaha Sousoa, or "father of the nation at
the time of transformation", the second was called Kamisoa, or "the
wind goddess", and the third was called Krotoa, or "one who overcomes
adversity".

Radebe said: "In very practical ways wind power is beginning to make
a significant impact around the world ... The technology has
developed by leaps and bounds over the past five or so years,
bringing with it dramatic efficiencies and reduced costs."

He said it was predicted that the cost of wind energy would drop by a
further 10 percent to 20 percent by 2005, bringing it well below the
energy cost per kilowatt hour of coal-fired power stations.

Radebe said another interesting aspect of the project was the ability
to "update the wind atlas of South Africa" that would be used to help
identify other suitable sites for wind power facilities, particularly
along wind swept shorelines.

Mlambo-Ngcuka said the Western Cape was at the crossroads of energy
innovation in the country.

She said it was important to continue to reduce pollution and manage
consumption of energy resources so the world could be secured for
future generations.

Eskom chairman Reuel Khoza said in the African century, the current
generation of African leaders was laying down the foundation for
"vigorous growth, responsible resource use and thoughtful
co-operation".

Eskom's general manager for research, Greg Tosen, said the three-year
demonstration project would help determine the type of technology
required for local conditions.

"One of the big challenges we have relates to energy storage and how
we will store energy during days when it is not windy," he said.

Environmental affairs minister Valli Moosa welcomed the launch of the
wind farm. - Sapa

Answer to Govt Power Struggle is Blowing in the Wind
South African Press Association (Johannesburg)
February 20, 2003
Posted to the web February 20, 2003
Cape Town
Serious negotiations are currently underway between the national and
Western Cape governments to get the country's first commercial wind
energy demonstration project at Darling off the ground, a national
government spokesman said on Thursday.
The Western Cape had given the project the thumbs up and independent
environmental impact assessment said the private-public partnership
project was feasible.
But last week, the province's acting MEC for environmental affairs,
Johan Gelderblom, heeded concerns about the project from a number of
individual and groups and put the project on ice.
Gelderblom's reasons for shelving the project were that no
alternative sites were investigated for the farm and that the
potential impact on the flight-paths of birds in the vicinity had not
been properly evaluated.
Andre Otto, the Deputy Director of Renewable Energy in the national
Department of Minerals and Energy, said on Thursday, however, that
construction on what is to be South Africa's first commercial wind
farm was ready to start.
"We wanted to start in February, with construction scheduled to begin
in August. If we don't settle the matter urgently, costs of a
negotiated tender for construction could go up," he said.
Otto said renewable energy such as the wind farm was in line with
government's 1998 White Paper on Energy Policy, which amongst other
things, talked about diversification of energy sources.
"We are in serious negotiations with stakeholders to try and resolve
the outstanding issues," Otto said.
Jackie Friedenthal, the environmental programme co-ordinator at the
Royal Danish Embassy in Pretoria confirmed that the Danish
International Development Assistance had earmarked 15,1 million Krona
(R18-million) for the Darling project.
This was in addition to the R19-million pledged by the South African
government, as well as part of US30-million (about R245-million) for
national replication of alternative energy initiatives by the United
Nation's Global Environmental Fund, she said.
According to Friedenthal the second highest cause of infant mortality
in South Africa was respiratory illness, which has been linked to the
burning of fossil fuels.
"Are we saying that environmental and health issues must take a back
seat?" she asked about the decision to delay the Darling project.
Otto said that the City of Cape Town had already agreed in principle
to purchase green energy from the Darling site, which would cost more
than electricity from Eskom.
"Eskom charges 16 cents per kilowatt per hour, while Darling would
charge 37 cents per Kilowatt per hour. But the costs will not be
borne by the consumer, with a preliminary study indicating that there
are enough private industries willing to buy the green energy," Otto
said.
While the Darling wind farm project is in limbo, Eskom will launch
South Africa's first experimental wind energy farm at Klipheuwel near
Stellenbosch in the Western Cape on Friday.
The main difference between the two wind farms is that the Darling
farm would use available technology to develop a framework for the
use of commercial wind farms in South Africa.
The Eskom farm is more focused on the development of new technology
and the technical aspects of building wind turbines for South African
conditions.
Minister of Energy and Minerals Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is expected to
be present at the opening, together with senior Eskom officials.

Ryan Hoover
Africa Program
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way
Berkeley, CA 94703
USA
Phone: (510) 848-1155 Fax: (510) 848-1008
www.irn.org