In South Africa, the 140MW Enel Green Power RSA Oyster Bay wind farm, situated in the Eastern Cape, has successfully reached commercial operation.
The Oyster Bay wind farm will generate over 568GWh and prevent 590,000 tons of CO² from being emitted into the atmosphere. This brings the number of operational Enel Green Power RSA wind and solar sites in South Africa up to nine projects, with an overall installed capacity of over 800MW.
These include Nojoli (88MW), Gibson Bay (111MW), and Nxuba (140MW) in the Eastern Cape; Upington (10MW) and Adams (82.5MW); Paleisheuwel (82.5MW) in the Western Cape, Pulida (82.5MW) in the Free State and Tom Burke (66MW) in Limpopo.
The commercial operation of Oyster Bay follows closely on the heels of the Nxuba wind farm, which reached commercial operation ahead of schedule in December last year, despite challenges presented by the global pandemic.
William Price, Country Manager at Enel Green Power RSA says the project, which amounts to $212 million investment in South Africa, was one of the five wind projects awarded to the company in April 2015.
“The solution is supported by a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with South African energy utility provider, Eskom, as part of the South African government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) tender,” he explains.
Enel Green Power RSA used digital platforms as well as innovative software and methods during construction to:
Monitor and support site activities, including plant commissioning
Control the quality of on-site operations using devices such as smart glasses that allow instant feedback and suggestions on Health, Safety, Environmental, and Quality (HSEQ) activities on-site
Smart-track wind turbine components, including safety systems
Provide faster, more accurate, reliable data collection for quality enhancements to the construction
Improve communication between on-site and off-site teams
Rigorous safety protocols were implemented, in light of the pandemic and in line with the indications provided by health authorities, with the aim of ensuring the necessary protection of the workers involved in the construction as well as to the communities surrounding the Oyster Bay wind farm.
