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Cape Town – South African renewable energy company BioTherm has won a bid to push 251 MW of power into the grid as part of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.
BioTherm CEO Jasandra Nyker told Fin24 that the company plans to start supplying power to SA's grid in 2017.
"We will increase the grid capacity in the country by 250 MW and have the ability to power on average 250 000 households," she said.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has confirmed the company as the preferred bidder for three projects: the 120 MW Golden Valley Wind facility, the 45 MW Aggeneys Solar PV and the 86 MW Konkoonsies II Solar PV Facility.
According to Nyker, 800 jobs will be created during the construction phase across the three projects. Total investment associated with the projects is in the region of R4.5bn.
International competition
SA has named preferred bidders for the fourth round of a series of renewable energy projects, which will add about 1 000 MW of power to its ailing grid.
READ: SA names bidders for 1 000MW of green power
Electricity supplier Eskom has faced a chronic shortage of electricity as it battles with ageing coal power stations and a maintenance backlog.
Referred to as Windows 4, the renewable energy bidding rounds have invited bids for a range of renewable plans such as wind, photovoltaic, biomass and small scale hydroelectric projects.
The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme has opened SA's renewable energy market to several international firms, including Italian firm Enel Green Power and Norway's Scatec Solar.
READ: Norway firm set to provide solar power to SA
Nyker said the allocation by the DOE reflects the company's ability to compete directly with leading international players which have come to dominate the South African landscape.
"We appreciate the DOE’s commitment to supporting a South African development and investment platform in this round,” she said.
In response to a question on whether BioTherm will be submitting any further bids, Nyker answered in the affirmative, saying: "We are committed to the programme as it expands over the next few years."
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