Globeleq Generation Limited has announced the start of construction of three renewable energy projects in South Africa.
The projects include the 138MW wind farm at Jeffreys Bay on the Eastern Cape and two 50MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities in the Northern Cape.
Siemens will build the two solar projects under a lump-sum, turnkey EPC contract, while Siemens and a South African consortium of Murray & Roberts and Conco will build the Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm.
Construction will be jointly managed across all three projects by Mainstream and Globeleq.
All projects are expected to be operational in mid 2014.
The three projects are are among the first large scale renewable power plants to be built in the country, and are part of South Africa’s Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Program.
Each year the projects are expected to supply enough clean, renewable electricity to power more than 156,000 homes, displacing over 580,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.
Globeleq is the majority shareholder in a consortium comprised of Mainstream Renewable Power, Thebe Investment Corporation, engineering firms Enzani Technologies and Usizo Engineering and local community trusts.
Old Mutual is an additional consortium member in the Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm.
Globeleq said project revenues will benefit local communities through development programmes.
Guernsey-registered Globeleq, owned by private equity firm Actis, develops energy projects for the emerging markets of Africa and the Americas.
