Like many South Africans, going green has become a part of everyday life. By implementing ways to promote sustainability and help the environment, the community in Jeffreys Bay is no exception to this trend.
In 2002 the Kouga Wind Farm was proposed on part of Sunnyside dairy farm, outside Jeffreys Bay.
The community and its municipality were very supportive and eager to develop one of the first commercial wind farms in South Africa. The Development Bank of South Africa, a representative on the Steering Committee, played a part in getting the first phase of what is now the larger Jeffreys Bay project off the ground. In March 2009, the proponents of wind farm, Genesis Eco Energy, received Environmental authorisation for a 16MW wind farm on that site.
The project has since expanded, into the 138MW Jeffreys Bay Wind farm when the joint venture, Mainstream SA was formed.
Wind energy is a free fuel source of energy. This means it costs nothing (except to convert it to electrical power) and is not subject to the same unpredictable nature like fossil fuels. We can predict the price of wind now, in 10 years and in a 100 years – it will always be a free fuel source. Not so with oil, gas, coal and uranium, whose prices are constantly increasing…
For every kilowatt hour of free fuel clean electricity we put into the grid it means that is one less kilowatt hour of dirty, polluting, expensive electricity that we have to pay the price for: It means less water consumption, in an already water stressed country; less carbon emissions and less risk of carbon fines by our trading partners; less health problems in the Mpumalanga region; less transmission losses; less reliance on fuel imports; less waste to deal with and less plants to decommission. This proves to be a good deal all around.
There are benefits for local communities such as landowners receive rental income; there is more water for agricultural purposes and for public consumption; jobs are created during all phases of the development and continue through the life of the plant – these include direct and indirect jobs through various support services provided by local entrepreneurs and SMME’s; grants are also made available by the wind farm company to fund local development initiatives in energy, education, health and enterprise development.
Make no mistake, wind turbines are big machines. Modern wind turbines generally range from 1.5 to 3.5 Mega Watts in output capacity. The rotor weighs in at 60 tones, the nacelle 82 tones and the tubular steel tower at 162 tones.
What happens when the wind doesn’t blow? Wind differs and, by its very nature, does not blow consistently all the time but the Modern turbines are built to generate energy at a range of wind speeds and take advantage of consistent winds and provide wind energy to the grid about 90% of the time. That means that 90% of the time, some wind is blowing and energy is being generated by the turbines.
Fast Fact: Wind turbines are not noisy
Many farm owners have asked how having a wind farm will be of a benefit to them. A wind farm will provide you with a guaranteed source of extra income for a certain period. Wind Farming is highly compatible with agriculture, requiring less than 8% of land usage and has a greater impact on the on-going farming activities. Turbines do not disturb livestock who continue to roam through the wind farm and graze. In fact, some animals enjoy lying beside the base of the turbine as it provides shade for them! Wind farms also bring benefits to the local communities through job creation, energy security and money contributed back to the community generally through our Community Fund.
There are many rural economic benefits attributed to the development of a wind farm
- Landowners bear no financial risk in the project: At no stage during the development and construction does the landowner bear any financial risk or liability associated with the project. Once the wind farm is operational, the landowner receives a yearly rental payment for the lifetime of the project.
- Community benefits: Mainstream SA intends to develop a Community Trust Fund with local decision makers for every successfully built project. The purpose of this fund will be to support sustainable development in the surrounding area.
- Other local community benefits include an increased demand for local goods and services during the feasibility and construction phases of development, the creation of temporary jobs during the construction phase and a small number of permanent positions during the wind farm’s operational life
- The wind farm site has several segments of vegetation that are threatened as so much has been destroyed, mainly by agriculture. However, the way the turbines are laid out, they will avoid the sensitive vegetation.
During the construction period an average of 200 jobs are expected to be created. The number of jobs will vary from month to month, depending on the stage of the construction work on site. More indirect jobs will be created or sustained at local manufacturers and suppliers. The contractors responsible for building the wind farm are committed to employing as many people from the local community as possible and procuring goods and services from the local community where feasible. During the twenty year operation of the wind farm, approximately 11 long term jobs will be created to operate and maintain the wind farm.
Apart from Jeffrey’s Bay, other farms in South Africa are in the process to put up wind turbines.
German turbine maker Nordex has won the order to supply the 134.4MW South African wind farm projects being developed by Cennergi in the Eastern Cape. The production by Nordex is set to commence in the third quarter of 2014. Also a farm of 30 turbines, each between 90m and 110m high, is proposed for the Breede River Valley between Wolseley and Worcester.
If the turbines outcome is what it should be, it will save more than 300 000 tons of carbon-dioxide that coal-fired power stations produce and in turn change the climate of the region.
South Africa only has one company that can build these turbines. Something rare that has the greatest impact on the environment.
The projects are valued at R28bn and are set to create 7,441 local jobs.
Many farmers are contemplating putting up wind farms so I would not be surprised if in a few years there are wind farms everywhere. Going green might literally be blowing us away with its innovative ideas.
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