The Ireland based renewable power company,Mainstream,reviewed an 18 month wind study in the Cape to determine if South African wind is of sufficient quality to generate power. The wind sites are spread across the Northern,Western and Eastern Cape. The great finding of their report shows that South African winds are constant and predictable and almost have a perfect wind regime. A wind powered station in Jeffreys Bay project alone could power 8000 households.
Wind-powered station costs the same to build as a coal-fired station at around R5-million per megawatt of capacity while a nuclear power station costs R110-million to build. The major difference,however,is that a wind station only takes a year to set up while a coal-powered station can take up to 20 years to complete. With various delays,the Medupi power station,for instance,has already overstretched its budget to R26-million per MW.
Another critical difference is that wind uses no water while thermal stations are so water-intensive they deny water to 12400 households annually. The Sahara desert is advancing at a rate four times faster than in the 1970s and South Africa is becoming increasingly water constrained.
South Africa is the 12th highest carbon offenders worldwide,with the power demand expected to rise by 60% by 2030.
