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Kouga Wind Farm
KOUGA WIND FARMSouth Africa’s energy project helping the environment and uplifting communities
KOUGA WIND FARMSouth Africa’s energy project helping the environment and uplifting communities
L ocated in the Kouga region of the Eastern Cape in South Africa,
approximately 70km to the south west of Port Elizabeth, the site is situated in one of the country’s windiest regions.The wind farm is currently under construction and is due to reach commercial operation in Q1 2015. The site’s 32 turbines will generate approximately 300 million KWh per year, which works out as enough electricity to supply approximately
50,000 average households annually.
HISTORY OF THE PROJECT
In December 2011, the Kouga Wind Farm was named as one of the preferred bidders in the Government’s Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (IPPP). Twelve months later, the wind farm reached Financial Close.The Investor partners in the development of this wind farm include: Stanlib Infrastructure Private Equity Fund 1 Partnership, Inspired Evolution Investment Management, Kouga Wind Farm Community
Development Trust, Red Cap Investments, Eurocape Renewables and AfriCoast Engineers.
MANAGEMENT
Lukhanyo Ndube is Chief Executive Officer and took over the helm of the Kouga Wind Farm on 1 July after more than a decade spent at Eskom’s Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant in Melkbos outside Cape Town. His role is to ensure the overall operational performance of Kouga Wind Farm, which includes fulfilling its obligations as an Independent Power Producer in the Department
of Energy’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.A professional engineer with more than 15 years’ experience in the Energy Industry, Ndube holds an MBA degree and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Cape Town and a postgraduate Diploma in Science (Physics, Engineering and Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors) from Witwatersrand University.Ndube, who hails from Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape is the chairperson of the Western Cape Region for the National Society of Black Engineers, and is also registered with Engineering Council of South Africa as a Professional Engineer and is a member of the South African Institute of Measurement and Control.
PEOPLE MANAGEMENT
The German turbine manufacturer Nordex Energy has been contracted to provide the turbines and construct the wind farm. Kate Warner, the CFO at Kouga Wind Farm says that during construction up to 188 staff have been employed on site (this includes Nordex and their subcontractors, as well as the Kouga Wind Farm management and onsite team). The operation structure will be finalised in the near future.“The Kouga Wind Farm management team oversees this process with a core team of six employees,” comments Ndube.
“Key to the development of the Kouga Wind Farm however, is ensuring a strong positive impact on the communities and the areas in which the wind farm is involved. This involves building relationships with the community, facilitating community participation in the wind farm through a broad-based empowerment trust, as well as by actively investing in the communities themselves.”The wind farm will inject in excess of R250 million into local upliftment projects that will directly benefit members of historically disadvantaged communities in the region.
“What defines this company is the large Broad Based Community Trust ownership for the benefit of the local communities,” adds Ndube. “This is far exceeding the Renewable Energy Bid minimum threshold of 2.5 percent.”
OPERATIONS
Kouga Wind Farm also has a maintenance and service contract with Nordex. Nordex have been setting the standard since 1985 and are one of the leaders in this field.The wind farm has a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Eskom.
“The Dept. of Energy has very clear obligations that we need to meet from an Economic Development perspective,” says Ndube.“We have various key stakeholders such as the local municipality, the communities in which we are involved, our investors, lenders, interested groups and the farmers on whom the wind farm is build that we interface with via quarterly meetings, social media, local media and meetings.”
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
By using energy from a clean source such as wind, South Africa can reduce its dependency on coal power, which is responsible for the majority of its CO2 emissions. Each 2.5 MW turbine can displace approximately 9,000 tons of CO2 annually, which means the Kouga Wind Farm displaces approx. 300,000 tons of CO2 annually.
The Kouga Wind Farm is also a registered clean development mechanism (CDM) project. The wind farm is intent on meeting its stakeholders’ obligations, through better planning, open and transparent engagement and inclusive, timeous collaboration.“Amongst others this will include the optimal management and maintenance of the wind farm, management of the environment, and collaborating with local communities in delivering sustainable economic development projects,” adds Ndube.
Visit us at www.animalia-consult.co.zaBased in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Zoological & Ecological Specialists Specialist services - Bat pre-construction monitoring, operational monitoring and
mitigations at wind energy facilities- Terrestrial and amphibian faunal ecological and sensitivity
assessments - Cave biodiversity and sensitivity assessments- Ecological Management Plans (EMPʼs) and rehabilitation
plans specifi c to terrestrial fauna
“The wind farm will injecT in excess of r250 million inTo local uplifTmenT projecTs”
