Airports Company SA (ACSA) has opened a R13 million solar plant at Kimberley Airport in the Northern Cape.
This is the second such facility following the completion of a R16 million 3 000-panel solar plant at George Airport in the Western Cape in February. SA ramped up its green credentials by unveiling the continent's first solar-powered airport at George.
ACSA aims to complete solar plants at all six its regional airports at an estimated total cost of R90 million.
The Kimberley Airport Solar Plant will utilise solar photovoltaic (PV) which means sunlight will be directly converted into electricity using sunray-absorbing panels.
Installed at the solar plant are 1 620 PV panels and 18 inverters, where solar radiation energy is converted into electricity. The plant is designed to deliver 500KWp of peak production per year.
Furthermore, the solar farm is located on 0.7-hectares of land within the airport precinct and uses an 11kV substation as its main source of supply.
To date, the plant has generated 141 870kWh and is forecast to produce approximately 927 000-kilowatt hours per year.
The construction of the solar plant started on 18 September 2015 and was completed within 24 weeks by 18 April 2016.
Speaking at the official opening of the plant, transport minister Dipuo Peters said: "It would not be far-fetched to consider the solar plant as the second crown jewel of six because the completion of the solar power plant at Kimberley Airport forms part of Airports Company South Africa's broader plan to install solar energy plants at all six regional airports over the next three to five years to make them more self-sufficient.
"In line with the South African government's sustainable development imperatives, energy security priorities and environmental conservation obligations, we are launching South Africa's second solar-powered airport hot on the heels of the official unveiling of our first - the George Airport Solar Plant, which was opened on 26 February 2016."
She said during the 24-week construction period of the Kimberley Airport Solar Plant, five permanent and 26 temporary employment opportunities were created.
In addition, she noted, rigorous practical training and skills transfer to operate and maintain the PV plant was conducted, which included cleaning modules, replacing malfunctioning electrical components and monitoring performance of PV plant, among other technical skills.
Peters also pointed out the construction of another solar plant at Upington International Airport commenced on 7 October 2015 and was fully completed and commissioned by 20 April 2016. That is a third solar plant completed in almost no time, she said.
"Thanks to your [ACSA CEO Bongani Maseko's] leadership and the efforts of your brilliant team, the Northern Cape province now boasts two world-class airports that are in keeping with international climate change convention resolutions."
The Upington Airport plant occupies 0.66 hectares while the Kimberley plant takes up 0.69 hectares of land. The Upington solar power plant was built at a cost of R12.6 million.
The other three remaining regional airports are Port Elizabeth International Airport, East London Airport and Bram Fischer International Airport in Bloemfontein.
The clean energy initiative follows in the footsteps of India's Cochin International airport - the world's first entirely solar-powered airport, and Galapagos Ecological Airport, built in 2012 to run solely on sun and wind power.
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