THE Windy City is going to be living up to its reputation. 
Two wind farms that will generate a combined 70MW of power are planned for Port Elizabeth – one in the Coega industrial development zone (IDZ) and the other on the outskirts of the city.
They form part of a basket of renewable energy projects, worth nearly R2-billion, that the Central Energy Fund (CEF) is developing in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
In addition to the wind farms, the projects include landfill to gas, biogas to energy that is being investigated by Singapore-based company Straits Chemicals, solid waste to energy, a number of sites on the Orange/Fish River Transfer Scheme for micro-hydro-electric projects and several solar projects that include the installation of 120000 solar water heaters across the city.
The metro’s director of projects, Peter Neilson, says the wind farm in Port Elizabeth will generate 23MW in the first phase with a possible extension to 100MW, adding that the environmental impact assessment was “progressing well” and once this was finalised and arrangements put in place to raise some R550-million, “the wind farm could be in production by September 2011”.
Neilson says there is a “big appetite” among investors for renewable energy projects and they were “lining up” awaiting the approval of the environmental studies and from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.
Leading international wind turbine manufacturers and developers of wind farms descended on the city in what CEF described as “a significant step forward” in the development of the 23MW wind farm.
More than 40 companies from countries like Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France and South Korea have expressed interest in the R550-million project.
Belgium-based renewable energy company Electrawinds plans to erect 25 turbines with a combined generation of 57.5MW at the Coega IDZ with the EIA already under way for a project the company says will generate enough power for 100000 homes.
Nelson Mandela Bay is not the only area that is going green.
Several other towns in the western part of the Eastern Cape are involved in wind projects with Genesis-Eco having been given a record of decision for a 16MW facility at Jeffreys Bay that will now become part of a larger wind farm with the capacity to generate 180MW.
In addition, a wind farm that will stretch 90 square kilometres across several properties between Cookhouse and Bedford is being planned and another at Kariega near Port Alfred, while a R1-billion project in the Tsitsikamma area that will generate 100MW – enough to power up to 400000 homes – is also under way.
That will bring particular benefits for the Mfengu community that returned to their ancestral home in the area after being forcibly removed to the Ciskei in 1977. The community will benefit through the Tsitsikamma Development Trust that signed an agreement for the construction of the wind farm at the end of last year.
And Grahamstown is also getting on the green bandwagon with a planned 36MW wind farm, although the project has upset the Benedictine monks who live in the area and maintain that it will destroy the “contemplative life” they have sought to build over the past 12 years. – The Herald
We have installed a solar water heater at home and it is also as good as conventional water heaters.;~’
actually it is not that hard to setup wind farms, the only problem is that it requires lots of capital investment.-:`
Solar water heater is a very good technology because it helps conserve electrical energy for heating~*-
I saw the wind turbine near the new harbour in P.E, what power does it produce and what does one cost
Hi Botti
Pls read our post on this topic here: http://www.watersafe.co.za/2010/05/20/wind-turbine-for-port-elizabeth/
All the nice comments about the wind turbines makes me think of how ignorant people can be. I wonder what they will do and say, if it is getting installed so to say on their door step. I have property in Blue Horizon Bay, which we bought for when we retire. Know they have given us exactly not even one month, to hand in a written notice, (letter dated 15 September, I received the registered letter on Tuesday, 27 September, and the due date is 17 October 2011) if you do have a problem with that or not. My concern is what studies have been done, how will it effect our property market. What about the cattle farmers in that area. What about the birds the environment.
Yes go green, but why close to a developed area. I love for us to have wind turbines, but def. not where they plan to have it on the farm Rietfontein situated at Van Stadens river Mouth Road.
The wind farm that is proposed for 594 Rietfontein Farm is being installed to close to Blue Horizon Bay a Residential area ,we are a conservation area & have a large amount of bird life, & game.I sugest they find a place not close to a residential area to put this wind farm on. Overseas in Europe there are lots of wind farms ,but none near a residential Areas.
We were not informed about this project until the last minute & we now have just a few days to object. I’m all for clean energy but not near a residential area. also the traffic, going up & down our road from the N2 highway with heavy trucks to construct this wind farm will cause havoc to our road.Put this project by Maitland Mouth or Bushy Park.were there is no residential area near by.
Also what affect will it have on the Value of our property? I’m totally against this wind farm
to be constructed on Rietfontein Farm 476 & 594 near Blue Hoirizon Bay.
We are residents for 9 years living in a peacefull beautifull part of SA. now its going to be disturbed by noise & vibration & View with proped 15O Mts Wind Mills. Never mind the vibration that will cause soil movement, most of the house are buit on sandy soil sloaps
In years to come who will know what will happen, All the wind farms around the world are not built up on residentail areas. We strongly object againts applicatiion of Metro Wind to construct the wind mills.