The Aries Solar Power project is located 36km south west of Kenhardt, in the Kai !Garib Municipality in the Northern Cape. It occupies approximately 30 hectares of land.
The facility generates electricity using 45 000 solar (PV) panels and feeds the 22kV Eskom distribution system.
Arising from the South African Government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), Aries Solar Power signed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Eskom as well as an Implementation Agreement with the Department of Energy.
The solar project supplies 22 000 MWh per year, enough clean, renewable electrical energy to meet the needs of 4 900 average South African households.
The project received full Environmental Authorisation from the Department of Environmental Affairs in 2011 and has many environmental benefits such as reduced carbon emissions and water-saving – get details on these here.
The local community benefits from the project in many ways, including:
Click on the above links for more information on each
