Solar park study to be finalised by end 2012

The full feasibility study into South Africa’s proposed 5 000 MW solar park project, which could be developed in phases in the Northern Cape, should be completed by the end of 2012 and could stimulate the development of a larger solar corridor across Southern Africa, a Department of Energy (DoE) official said on Monday.
Addressing the Hydro Power Africa and Solar Energy Africa conferences in Johannesburg, COO Thandeka Zungu noted that sub-Saharan Africa was drenched by “bright sunlight” for an average of 325 days in a year. The South African government was, thus, keen to more fully exploit this solar resource within its national borders, as well as within the region more generally.