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R100m ‘windfall’ for E Cape Sicelo Fayo, Business EditorA R100-million “clean” power generation plant is to be established at Kouga in the Eastern Cape, says private national investment promotions group Southgro. The plant, dubbed the “Genesis Project” due to its “globally unique” design, which uses wind and water to generate power, is to be developed with the financial support of the World Bank, said Dr Andries van der Linde, project co-ordinator at Southgro. It will be the first of a number planned for the country, with the financial support of the World Bank, and various other groupings, including black economic empowerment (BEE) partners. The plant is among a number of diverse projects being pursued by Southgro, and will link with current national efforts to generate alternative power supplies to support electricity power generated and supplied by Eskom. Established in 1996, Southgro Projects is a research and project development company engaged in the promotion of commercial initiatives within defined sectors. Among its functions is the integration of enterprises beneficial to one another through their assimilation into a larger commercial entity, thereby improving their ability to attract funding. Dr Van de Linde said the Kouga power station would generate power through a “hybridised” wind-hydro technology able to produce enough electricity to power a small industrial area or town. He said the plant would have a combined output of about 12 megawatts – sufficient electricity to supply a town such as Jeffreys Bay. Feasibility studies on the commercial viability of the project had already been concluded, and the process now involved negotiations with potential investment partners. He said World Bank project development specialist Robert Chronowski had visited the site and was impressed with the project. Dr Van de Linde quoted him as saying the World Bank believed there were multiple opportunities for renewable energy projects to be implemented throughout South Africa. Eskom had also been appraised of the project and was supportive. ‘
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