Touwsrivier Solar Power Plant is a 44.19 MW solar facility in South Africa, operated by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) and commissioned in 2014. Ranked #60 of 101 solar plants in South Africa, Touwsrivier accounts for 0.9% of the country's total solar capacity of 4,911 MW. The largest solar plant in South Africa is KaXu Solar One at 100 MW, making Touwsrivier 2.3 times smaller. Nearby plants include Perdekraal East Wind Farm (107.76 MW, Wind), Soitec Touwsrivier Solar Energy Facility (36 MW, Solar), and Touwsrivier CPV Solar Project (36 MW, Solar). The facility is located in the Western Cape province, approximately 150 km from Cape Town.
12 years old
South Africa, Africa
Location
Zero Direct Emissions
Touwsrivier Solar Power Plant is a solar power plant producing approximately 70 GWh of clean electricity per year with zero direct CO₂ emissions during operation.
Lifecycle emissions: ~41 g CO₂/kWh (manufacturing, transport, decommissioning)
Technical Details
- Primary Fuel Type
- Solar
- Energy Source
- Renewable
- Country
South Africa- Continent
- Africa
- Data Source
- Global Power Plant Database
Nearby Power Plants
An Overview of Solar Power Generation as a Sustainable Energy Source
Solar power generation harnesses the sun's energy using photovoltaic (PV) cells or solar thermal systems to produce electricity. The basic principle of solar power generation involves converting sunlight into usable energy. When sunlight hits a PV cell, it excites electrons in the semiconductor material, generating an electric current. This process is known as the photovoltaic effect. Solar thermal systems, on the other hand, use sunlight to heat a fluid that, in turn, produces steam to drive a turbine and generate electricity. Both methods provide a clean and renewable energy source that is gaining significant traction worldwide.
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