Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Wind Country Notes

South Africa
In recent years South Africa has embarked on a more formal wind exploitation programme. Between August 2002 and February 2003 Eskom erected a small experimental wind facility with a total of 3.2 MW. The purpose of the wind farm at Klipheuwel in the Cape is primarily to gain experience in different turbine technologies.

A privately owned facility in the Darling district in Western Cape has received a licence and will shortly begin construction, subject to procurement of turbines. The first phase is expected to have a capacity of 5.2 MW (4 x 1.3 MW). A second phase incorporating a further 6 x 1.3 MW turbines may be installed later, bringing the total to 13 MW.

A Baseline Study on Wind Energy completed in February 2003 provided the following estimates of annual national electricity output from wind at that point in time: national grid 5 000 MWh; rural mini-grid 111 MWh; off-grid 1 117 MWh; and borehole windmills 26 000 MWh, giving a total of 32 228 MWh.