SABRINA DEAN – North West Premier Thandi Modise has expressed excitement over today’s launch of the province’s first renewable energy project, the Rust Mo1 Solar Farm at Buffelspoort just outside Rustenburg.
Her spokesperson Lesiba Kgwele says development for the 7 Megawatt solar photovoltaic facility was awarded to black-owned development company Momentous Energy. He says the solar farm is expected to produce just short of 250-thousand Megawatt Hours (MWh) of energy over its 20 year contract period.
“The Premier says solar energy is a solution that will not only provide an answer to an alternative energy source but is an innovation that provides sustainable social and economic value because energy is a key to driver to generate growth, development and employment,” he said.
Kgwele said the Rust Mo1solar farm is the first of fifteen solar projects in the province to get the go ahead. He says farms at Brits, Christiana, Taung, Vryburg, Mahikeng, Tswaing and Orkney are currently at various stages of development.
This first solar farm, comprised of nearly 30-thousand photovoltaic solar modules, will supply power to the Eskom grid when commercial operations commence in November.
Energy Minister Dipuo Peters is expected to officially launch the project at 10am this morning.
