Last Saturday, September 14, the Redstone solar thermal power project, a 100 megawatt(MW) capacity plant located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, achieved the country’s first grid connection.
The Redstone solar thermal project
This project is the first solar thermal power plant, developed by PowerChina, in tower configuration with molten salt storage in sub-Saharan Africa and represents the largest energy investment in the region.
This achievement is critical to the future operations of the plant, which is designed to provide power continuously, even after sunset, because of its advanced thermal storage system thermal storage molten salt thermal storage system.
Once operating at full capacity, the plant will generate up to 480 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year, with enough capacity to power about 200,000 homes. The aim is to meet the South African state’s energy targets.
Molten salt storage technology
The Redstone project uses molten salt-based thermal storage technology, which allows heat to be stored for 12 hours, ensuring uninterrupted electricity generation. This plant is equipped with 41,260 heliostats, which reflect sunlight onto a central tower that heats the salt, the system is designed to make the most of solar energy, even at night.
The Redstone solar thermal power plant will supply clean energy and reduce carbon emissions per kilowatt-hour compared to existing photovoltaic plants. This development supports South Africa’s efforts to meet its commitments in the fight against climate change and its transition to a more sustainable energy future.
The project has had a significant impact on the local economy. During construction, more than 600 direct jobs were generated and approximately 1,800 workers were employed, contributing to the economic development of the region. In addition, the project is expected to boost tax revenues and strengthen public services in the Northern Cape.
A solar thermal plant built in South Africa. Source: CGTN Documentary
The successful connection of the Redstone project to the grid is a testament to PowerChina’ s technical expertise and the collaboration between China and South Africa in the field of clean energy. The company will continue to work on fine-tuning the equipment and fine-tuning the systems to ensure that the plant operates at full capacity in the coming months.
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Source and photo: PowerChina
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