Nordex did not give any details that would make it possible to clearly identify the wind power projects for which it has just won market share in South Africa. Even less so about the independent power producer (IPP) that has placed the new 336 MW order. But the German wind turbine manufacturer is determined to play its part in South Africa’s ongoing energy transition.
As part of its new contract, the Hamburg-based group will install 57 of its Delta4000 series N163/5.X turbines in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The turbines will be installed on concrete towers, which, according to the group, will create 300 local jobs. The equipment will be installed in three wind farms, each with a capacity of 112.1 MW.
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The first turbine is due to be installed in the second half of 2024, with electricity production starting after 12 months. The three “wind farms will be an important step in reducing South Africa’s dependence on fossil fuels and increasing the share of renewable energies in the country’s energy mix”, according to the company, which is headed by the Spaniard José Luis Blanco, since its majority shareholder (47%), the Madrid-based Acciona group, acquired a stake in the company.
Will this new order enable Nordex to emerge from the turbulence in which it has found itself in recent years? We’ll know more in the coming months. In any case, Nordex wants to continue its activities in the rainbow nation, a dynamic and competitive market. Nordex has already installed 1.1 GW of wind power there, out of a total capacity connected to the national grid of 3.1 GW, according to the German portal Statista.
Jean Marie Takouleu