PR92694

DUBLIN and CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Oct. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/-

     - Mainstream Renewable Power-led consortium has been awarded 50% of the

total allocation in the latest round of South Africa's Renewable Energy

Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP)

      - The win makes Mainstream Renewable Power the leading renewable energy

company in South Africa, with over 2.1 GW awarded under the REIPPPP to date

      - The twelve projects, across onshore wind and solar, will generate

enough clean energy to power a third of the annual electricity demand of the

City of Cape Town

    Global wind and solar company, Mainstream Renewable Power ("Mainstream"),

today announces that twelve of its projects have won preferred bidder status in

Round 5 of South Africa's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer

Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). The wind and solar projects, which have a

total capacity of 1.27 GW, represent half of the total allocation in the Round,

which was the most competitive to date, being almost 4 times oversubscribed.

    The win makes Mainstream the most successful company in the history of the

South African renewable energy procurement programme, with over 2.1 GW awarded

to date. This includes 850 MW of wind and solar generation assets that

Mainstream has already delivered into commercial operation across Rounds 1, 3

and 4 of the REIPPPP. Mainstream has achieved a number of firsts in the REIPPP

including constructing South Africa's first self-build substation as well as

bringing the first projects to financial close and to complete construction in

Rounds 1, 3 and 4.  

    The Mainstream-led consortium, named "Ikamva" which means "the future" in

Xhosa, will deliver six onshore wind projects and six solar PV projects,

including the first REIPPPP project in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province.

The consortium brings together a range of expertise, led by Mainstream's 100%

African team of over a hundred professionals, and comprises Globeleq, Africa

Rainbow Energy & Power, H1 Holdings and local community trusts.

    As a result of this award Mainstream will double the size of its South

African team and will be actively recruiting another 100 South Africans to

support the engineering and construction of the 12 projects. This will make

Mainstream the largest pure-play renewables employer in Africa.

    The projects will produce approximately 4,500 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of green

electricity each year, helping to avoid nearly 5 million tonnes of CO2 per

annum, once fully operational. They will provide South Africa with critical,

low-cost, indigenous power and help deliver a just transition towards its clean

energy and climate goals.

    The win underpins Mainstream's strategy of building true scale across its

global platforms, with the company's global portfolio now at 16.2 GW. It is the

latest demonstration of Mainstream's accelerated growth trajectory following

the 75% acquisition by Aker Horizons earlier in 2021, as well as the

announcement of the new 1 GW Nazca Renovables platform in Chile in July.

    Hein Reyneke, Mainstream's General Manager for Africa said:  

    "We are delighted to be chosen to contribute further to the decarbonisation

of South Africa. It is a demonstration of faith in Mainstream's track record of

efficient and reliable delivery not only here in South Africa but also

internationally, where we are currently building ten wind and solar PV projects

simultaneously, totalling 1.35 GW in Chile. Our latest win will deliver

enormous social, economic and environmental benefits for South Africa."

    Contact:  

    Emmet Curley, Head of Communications & Positioning  

    Phone: +353 86 2411 690  

    Email: emmet.curley@mainstreamrp.com  

Note to editors:

Project information:

Project Name     Technology     MW        Province               Municipality             District

Dwarsrug              Wind             124        Northern Cape     Hantam                    Namakwa

Beaufort West       Wind            140         Western Cape      Prince Alfred            Central

Karoo

Trakas                    Wind            140        Western Cape      Prince Alfred            Central

Karoo

Waaihoek              Wind             140        KKwazulu-Natal   Madlangeni              Amajuba

Sutherland            Wind             140        Northern Cape      Karoo Hoogland       Namakwa and  

                                                                                               and Laingsburg       Central

Karoo

Rietrug                  Wind               140      Northern Cape      Karoo Hoogland       Namakwa

Kentani                 Solar PV         75        Free State              Tokologo                  Lejweleputswa

Leliehoek              Solar PV         75        Free State              Tokologo                  Lejweleputswa

Klipfontein            Solar PV         75        Free State              Tokologo        

Lejweleputswa

Klipfontein 2         Solar PV         75        Free State               Tokologo        

Lejweleputswa

Braklaagte            Solar PV          75       Free State               Tokologo                   Lejweleputswa

Sonoblomo           Solar PV          75        Free State               Tokologo                  Lejweleputswa

Total                                             1,274

    Mainstream owns 100% of the projects awarded. At financial close, ownership

will transfer to the equity consortium: Mainstream (25%), Globeleq (26%),

Africa Rainbow Energy & Power (23.25%), H1 Holdings (23.25%) and Community

Trusts (2.5%).

    About Mainstream Renewable Power

    Mainstream Renewable Power is a leading pure-play renewable energy company

with a global footprint. The company is focused on expanding its high-quality

pipeline of more than 16.2 Gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar assets across Latin

America, Africa, Asia Pacific as well as the global offshore wind sector. In

May 2021, it closed an agreement for Aker Horizons to take a 75% equity stake

in the company, enabling Mainstream to accelerate its global expansion plan.  

    Mainstream has delivered more than 6.5 GW of wind and solar assets to

financial close-ready, and currently has over 1.4 GW (net) in construction

across Latin America and Africa. In Chile, Mainstream's wholly-owned 1.35 GW

"Andes Renovables Platform" of fully contracted wind and solar assets are on

track to complete construction from later this year. In Africa, the company has

delivered 850 MW of wind and solar assets into commercial operation in South

Africa, and further, through its Lekela Power joint venture has 410 MW of wind

assets in construction in Senegal and Egypt.  

    Mainstream is one of the most successful pure-play developers of offshore

wind at scale globally. It has successfully consented Hornsea One (1.2 GW), the

largest operational offshore wind plant in the world today; and developed the

Hornsea 2 project (1.4 GW) before selling these projects and the entire Zone in

2015. Overall, it has developed and consented 20% of the UK's offshore wind

capacity either in operation or under construction. Mainstream fully consented

the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind project in Scotland, 450 MW, currently under

construction. The company's Soc Trang 1.4 GW offshore wind development in

Vietnam is one of Southeast Asia's largest renewable energy developments.  

    Mainstream has raised more than EUR3.0bn in project finance to date and

employs more than 420 staff across five continents.

    www.mainstreamrp.com  

    Logo:

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/686512/Mainstream_Renewable_Power_Logo.jpg

    Source: Mainstream Renewable Power