| Castle Wind Farm | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Location | De Aar,Emthanjeni,Pixley ka Seme District,Northern Cape |
| Coordinates | 30°43′36″S24°03′06″E / 30.72667°S 24.05167°E /-30.72667; 24.05167 |
| Status | Under construction |
| Construction began | June 2023 |
| Commission date | 2025 (Expected) |
| Owner | Castle Wind Farm Project Company |
| Operator | Castle Wind Farm Project Company |
| Wind farm | |
| Type | Onshore |
| Power generation | |
| Make and model | Goldwind: 6 x 16 MW |
| Nameplate capacity | 89 MW |
TheCastle Wind Farm is a privately owned 89 megawattwind farm under construction inSouth Africa. The renewable energy infrastructure development project is owned and under development by a consortium comprising two South African businesses; (a) African Clean Energy Developments (Pty) Limited (“ACED”), a renewable energy development company headquartered inCape Town and (b) Reatile Group, aJohannesburg-headquartered, 100 percent black-owned investment company which focuses on energy, petrochemicals and industry. The power generated at this wind farm is intended for sale toSibanye-Stillwater, a Johannesburg-based multinational mining conglomerate. The power is intended for use by Sibanye-Stillwater in its mining operations in South Africa.[1][2]
The farm and power station are located near the town ofDe Aar, inEmthanjeni Municipality,Pixley ka Seme District, in theNorthern Cape Province of South Africa.[1][2] De Aar is located approximately 250 kilometres (155 mi) south of the city ofKimberley, the provincial capital.[3] This is approximately 333 kilometres (207 mi) southwest of the city ofBloemfontein in neighboringFree State Province.[4]
The design calls for 16 tower-mountedGoldwind turbines, each rated at 6 megawatts. Total generation capacity is intended to be 89 MW. The power generated here will be transmitted via overhead high voltage lines, to theHydra Substation, owned and operated byEskom, where the power will enter the national grid.[5]Hydra Substation is located approximately 9.3 kilometres (6 mi) southeast of downtown De Aar.[6]
In June 2023, Sibanye-Stillwater, the off-taker, Eskom the transmitter and Castle Wind Farm Project Company, theindependent power producer (IPP), signed a 15-yearpower purchase agreement (PPA) governing their relationships regarding this farm and the power generated here.[1][2][5]
Rand Merchant Bank, a subsidiary ofFirstRand Bank of South Africa, arranged the financing of this wind farm. Construction started in June 2023 and commercial commissioning is expected in 2025.[1][2]
Expected benefits from this project include (a) energy cost savings(b) increased energy security and (c) mitigation of C02 emissions, all accruing to Sibanye-Stillwater. The additional wattage in generation capacity to the national grid is of benefit to Eskom and the country in decreasing the power deficit currently being experienced in South Africa, as June 2023.[7]
