Mulilo secures funding for 219MWdc Orkney solar project

Mulilo has achieved fiscal closure for the 219MW-direct existent (MWdc) Orkney star PV installation successful North West Province, South Africa, astir 11km south-west of Orkney town.

This follows the constitution of a powerfulness acquisition statement (PPA), with Etana Energy arsenic the exclusive off-taker.

The project, which has an export capableness of 150MW-alternating existent (MWac), signifies a important measurement successful Mulilo's strategy to present 1GW of caller procreation capableness annually, enhancing its relation successful South Africa's vigor transition.

This marks the 2nd collaboration betwixt Etana Energy and Mulilo to scope fiscal closure wrong a year.

It brings Etana’s full to much than 500MW of renewable vigor projects closed successful the past year. This includes the antecedently announced 105MW Du Plessis Dam Solar PV2 project, arsenic good arsenic the 100MW Zen and 94MW Bergrivier upwind farms.

Etana Energy main commercialized and ineligible serviceman Jay Govender said: “This task marks different important measurement successful Etana Energy’s growth, with the Orkney star works being much than treble the size of our archetypal star task nether operation with Mulilo.

“The velocity astatine which this task has reached fiscal adjacent demonstrates the spot of our concern with Mulilo, the bankability of our respective structures and the accelerating request from customers for reliable, large-scale renewable energy delivered done Etana’s platform.”

Upon commencing operations, the Orkney installation is projected to make astir 478 gigawatt-hours of cleanable energy each year.

This vigor output volition beryllium distributed to Etana’s clients crossed South Africa, perchance reducing yearly c dioxide-equivalent emissions by much than 500,000t and supplying powerfulness to astir 210,000 households.

The Orkney installation volition link to the Jersey Distribution Substation done a recently constructed 24km overhead transmission enactment for seamless integration into the determination grid.

Additionally, it is equipped to incorporated artillery vigor retention systems successful the future, improving grid flexibility and vigor dispatch capabilities.

Mulilo CEO Jan Fourie said: “The fiscal adjacent of the Orkney star PV task makes an important milestone successful advancing Mulilo’s committedness to strengthening South Africa’s vigor security.

“This accomplishment reflects the spot of our partnerships, the capabilities of our squad and the increasing relation of private-sector procreation successful solving South Africa’s vigor challenges.

“We are honoured to enactment with Etana Energy and our partners to present clean, reliable powerfulness and lasting economical worth to the North West Province and beyond.”