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Khi Solar One and KaXu Solar One, will be the first
concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in South Africa
and will use advanced technology specifically developed
for the country's needs.
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Both plants will be able to store energy and generate
power after sunset.
Seville, November 6, 2012 - Abengoa, the international
company that applies innovative technology solutions for
sustainable development in the energy and environment
sectors, announced today that it has begun construction on
the 50 MW solar power tower Khi Solar One and the 100 MW
parabolic trough plant KaXu Solar One in South Africa. The
concentrating solar power (CSP) plants were two of the 28
renewable energy projects announced late 2011 by the South
Africa Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE intends to bring
17,800 MW of renewable energy online by 2030.
Abengoa is partnering with the state-owned Industrial
Development Corporation (IDC), South Africa´s largest
development finance institution, to create South Africa´s
clean energy future by allowing the country to reduce its
dependence on fossil fuel for power generation,
specifically coal. Abengoa, who will build, operate and
maintain the plants, owns 51 % of the projects, the IDC
holds 29 %, and the Black Economic Empowerment program
maintains the remaining 20 %.
Both plants signed today long term power purchase
agreements with Eskom, South Africa's power utility,
and closed project finance agreements with a group of South
African and international financial institutions.
Khi Solar One and KaXu Solar One, located in the Northern
Cape Province near Upington and Pofadder respectively, will
use advanced technology to provide South Africa with clean
energy while creating local jobs and industry in the
region. In addition to reducing the country's carbon
dioxide emissions by about 498,000 tons each year, the
construction of Khi Solar One and KaXu will create roughly
1400 local construction jobs on average per annum, peaking
near 2000, and about 70 permanent operation jobs. Numerous
direct and indirect jobs will also be created to fulfill
the needs required by the plant and its construction.
Abengoa and the IDC are stimulating economic development in
the area while building South Africa's solar industry.
South Africa has one of the best solar resources in the
world with great potential to be a leader in concentrating
solar power generation.
Abengoa has developed proprietary technology to meet South
Africa's needs and make solar an excellent solution. Both
Khi Solar One and KaXu Solar One use the advanced dry
cooling technology, which reduces water consumption
compared to other CSP plants by approximately two thirds.
The plants also have storage capacity of about two hours
for Khi and three hours for KaXu, which can be used during
transient periods and after sunset. CSP's ability to be
dispatchable will be a great advantage for South Africa as
it will permit the country to bring more intermittent
technologies, such as photovoltaics and wind into their
renewable energy mix.
Abengoa currently has 743 MW of installed solar capacity
around the world and 910 MW under construction, and it is
one of the few in the world that builds and operates both
parabolic trough and tower CSP plants. Khi Solar One is
Abengoa's third commercial solar power tower and its first
outside of Spain. Proprietary innovative technology is
developed at Abengoa's R&D Center, Solúcar, which is one of
the most important solar R&D centers in the world.
About Abengoa
Abengoa (MCE: ABG) is an international company that applies
innovative technology solutions for sustainable development
in the energy and environment sectors, generating
electricity from the sun, producing biofuels, desalinating
sea water and recycling industrial waste. (www.abengoa.com)
Communication Department
Patricia Malo de Molina Meléndez.
Tel: +34 954 93 71 11
E-mail: communication@abengoa.com
Investor Relations
Bárbara Zubiría Furest.
Tel: +34 954 937 111
E-mail: ir@abengoa.com
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