SunPower has announced the start of construction of Prieska solar power plant in Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The new power plant will add 86-megawatt peak (MWp) and is scheduled to take a year to complete.
SunPower will feature its latest Oasis solar technology which helps position the solar panels in the direction of the sun during the day. This enables the panels to capture 25% more energy compared to fixed-tilt solar technologies.
After construction, ESKOM will be able to purchase the available power for distribution to consumers under a purchase agreement.
The project marks the third solar power plant that has been constructed by SunPower under the (REIPPP), an independent power producer program by the Southern African Government. SunPower will also operate and maintain the plant after the construction.
Sun Power CEO Tom Werner says South Africa is one of the fastest growing solar markets in the world today. The company is aiming to produce 160 megawatts of SunPower solar energy per year in the country.
Apart from the Prieska solar power plant, the company has undertaken two others in Douglas in the Northern Cape Province, totaling 33MW.
