Concentrix Solar Inaugurates First Power Facility In South Africa

Paving the way for solar power projects in South Africa, Concentrix Solar, a supplier of CPV systems is going to inaugurate its first power facility in South Africa at the Aquila Private Game Reserve in Touwsrivier on September 1, 2010. The firm says this is the first step in developing large-scale solar power projects in South Africa.

CPV systems are perfectly suited for the use in South Africa with its energy shortage, water scarcity and high temperatures. Concentrix says its systems can be easily and quickly implemented and do not need cooling water or suffer from heat degradation at hot ambient temperatures.

Hansjörg Lerchenmüller, CEO of Concentrix Solar commented, “In addition, this facility will initiate the transfer of know-how and serves to develop local skills in South Africa with immediate effect."

Concentrix is going to inaugurate a 60 kilowatts (kW) facility at the Aquila Private Game Reserve in Touwsrivier, Western Cape. With this installation, the Aquila Private Game Reserve is able to cover all energy requirements during daylight hours and makes a positive contribution to environmentally friendly tourism.

Also, the firm is actively pursuing a project development of a 50 megawatts (MW) utility-scale power plant in the Western Cape. The company has been present in South Africa since 2008 and has the ability to develop large-scale solar projects and deliver turnkey solutions under local conditions utilizing local content.

Concentrix says that with a high amount of direct solar irradiation, South Africa is best suited for the use of its CPV technology, particularly due to its high efficiencies and two-axis tracking.

Concentrix Solar is a supplier of concentrator photovoltaic equipment and turnkey power plants for sunny locations. The company was founded in February 2005 as a spin-off from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. In December 2009, Concentrix Solar became a division of the Soitec Group.