Eco Factor: World’s largest solar energy park to generate about 5GW of electrical power.
South Africa has unveiled plans for the world’s largest solar power plant, which will help generate about 5GW of electrical power. Expected to cost about £18.42bn, the project will be a mix of latest solar technologies and will include giant mirrors and solar panels in Northern Cape. Generating one-tenth of the country’s present energy needs, the solar plant will also help reduce carbon emissions.
South Africa, which generate about 90 percent of its electricity needs from coal-fired power plants, aims to get solar power from the project by the end of 2012. In the initial phase the plant would produce about 1GW of electrical power, which will then be increased to 5GW. An initial 9000 hectares of land has been earmarked for the park with further sites in the “solar corridor” being explored.
The area marked for the development of the plant is among the sunniest 3 percent of regions in the world with minimal cloud cover or rain. The area is considered even better than the Sahara Desert because there are no sandstorms here.
Via: Guardian
