South Africa: Solar projects begin operating

The 50MW Bokpoort concentrated solar power (CSP) project and 75MW Solar Capital De Aar III solar PV plant have both begun commercial operations in South Africa’s increasingly congested Northern Cape. The R50bn ($3.3bn) Bokpoort scheme was formally inaugurated on 14 March, making it the second utility-scale CSP to begin operating after Abengoa’s KaXu Solar One, which came online in February (AE 317/6), and the third CSP of note alongside MTN’s 0.33MW linear Fresnel cooling system.