Enel Green Power started the construction of Oyster Bay, a wind farm of approx 140 megawatts, in Kouga Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. The construction of Oyster Bay, the fourth wind farm of Enel in the country, will require an investment of approx 180 million euro.
Antonio Cammisecra, head of Enel Green Power, commented: “With the start of construction work on the fourth wind farm in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, we continue to contribute to the socio-economic development of the area through the generation of zero-emission energy and initiatives aimed at creating shared value. These initiatives include the innovative model applied in the Oyster Bay construction site, as well as activities in the field of sustainability, which focus on technical and scientific education in the area surrounding the park. Looking ahead, we will continue to enhance South Africa's renewables heritage, creating a virtuous circle between sustainable energy generation, education and development.".
Once the plant is fully operational, starting from second quarter of 2021, 41 wind turbines of Oyster Bay will generate approx 568 gigawatt hours per year, avoiding the emission of approximately 590,000 tons of CO into the atmosphere2. The energy generated by the wind farm will be marketed through a energy supply agreement stipulated with theSouth African utility Eskom, within the framework of the competition Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programby the South African government.
Furthermore, Enel Green Power is undertaking to ensure the creation of jobs in the community around Oyster Bay and a give priority to education, providing schools with clean energy through mini-photovoltaic systems, awarding scholarships to local students and supporting school feeding programs in Kouga municipality.
