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WIND ENERGY: PROJECT DETAILS

Project Overview

SABRE-Gen Wind project investigates the potential of using wind energy for bulk electricity generation in South Africa (using turbines of  600kW or higher capacity). This project is focussed on:

  • Understanding of implications of using wind energy on a large scale in a Southern African environment.
  • Determining the most suitable applications for wind energy
  • Determining the most appropriate scale of implementation
  • Obtaining all necessary information for the effective implementation of wind energy
  • Preparing the market and industry for implementation
  • Investigating the sustainability of wind energy in a Southern African environment

Components

The components of this study are:

  • Scanning/Pre-feasibility
  • Wind Resource Assessment
  • Feasibility
  • Research and Demonstration Facility
  • Commercial Case Development

Scanning/ Pre-feasibility

The scanning and pre-feasibility component was intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the following attributes:

  • Wind Energy Theory
  • Technology
  • Cost Related Issues
  • Market
  • Social
  • Environmental Issues
  • Industry and Employment
  • Policies and Programs

The overview provided a solid baseline for understanding the potential of using wind energy for bulk electricity generation. This impacted on all the focus points raised in the project statement and indicated that, all factors taken into account, that the application of wind energy may be feasible in South Africa and that it was worth investigating further.

Wind Resource Assessment

A crucial part of any wind farm project is wind data.

Unfortunately, South Africa has a large area to measure and predict wind speeds and the data that’s been available is not the most reliable. In 1993 the first wind atlas for South Africa was compiled by Prof. Roseanne Diab, using the information available.

Recently, a few years additional reliable data became available. Considering this and the level of data required for wind energy applications, it was decided to compile a new wind atlas.

The wind resource assessment also addresses most of the points above. It is intended to provide more detailed information about the wind energy potential of South Africa.In this project it will mainly be used to predict the wind energy potential for South Africa and pinpoint areas that should be focussed on for possible wind farm development. 

RISØ National Laboratory (Danish renewable energy research laboratory) has been contracted to provide training and quality control on the WASP computer analysis to create a wind atlas. WASP will aslo enable the user to simulate the performance of a wind farm based on the wind atlas.

The information generated through the WASP modelling will be fed into a GIS database, the Renewable Resource Database for South Africa.

From this information it will then be possible to select reference sites with good wind potential. From this information, feasibility studies can be done on each of the reference sites. This takes us to the next component, the Feasibility Component.

Research and Demonstration Facility

The Klipheuwel Wind Energy Demonstration Facility is now fully established. Although it will provide input on all the points raised above, it’s primary objective is to prepare the market and industry for wind energy implementation. In other words, the demonstration facility is envisaged to provide:

  • Demonstration to public and other interested parties not currently informed or educated on wind energy
  • Opportunity for technology transfer, training and practical experience for the industry and potential wind energy supporting industries and organisations.

In essence to break down barriers to the implementation of wind energy like negative social perceptions, not understanding the technical potential of wind energy, perceptions that wind energy is noisy and impacts on birds.

The site consists of 3 turbines of different mechanical and electrical design. These are:

  • A Jeumont 750kW Still Control Turbine, with permanent magnet Gearboxless Synchronous generator and inverter connection to the national electricity grid,
  • A Vestas 660kW pitch control Direct connected Asynchronous generator turbine and a,
  • A Vestas 1,75MW Pitch Control Asynchronous generator turbine with Rotor Conversion system ("Optispeed System")

Commercial Case Development

In the final phase of the project, the results of the feasibility study will be used to develop a business case and strategy for wind energy application in South Africa by Eskom. After the first year of operation of the research and demonstration facility, operational and practical implementation results will also be available to provide input to the development of the business case and strategies.

In this phase special consideration will be given to:

  • Responsibilities of all parties involved
  • Industry involvement/ development
  • Market analysis and marketing plan
  • Economic and financial structuring
  • Design and development planning
  • Job creation

Schedule / Progress

Scanning/Pre-Feasibility - Complete

Wind Resource Assessment - Complete

Feasibility - Complete

Research and Demonstration Facility - Complete

Business plan development - Complete