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Wind Power News: South Africa
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Poison and power lines hit vultures
Cape Town – When scientists attached tracking devices to 21 endangered bearded vultures in the Drakensberg, they did not expect that almost half the birds would be killed by poison and power lines during their study. Of the 10 dead birds, one was killed by an electric power line and the other nine by eating carcasses laced with poison. Sonja Krüger, lead author of the study, which was published in the ornithological journal Condor this month, said the poisons were . . . Complete story »
Last bearded vultures seek survival in Dragon Mountain home
The last bearded vultures in South Africa’s Drakensberg mountains are imperiled by unintended poisoning by farmers and traditional healers who believe that consuming parts of the birds brings luck and prosperity. Add to those threats plans for a 42-turbine wind farm on the Lesotho side of the range whose name in Afrikaans means Dragon Mountains. Scientists say the energy project endangers a shrinking habitat for the 350 surviving vultures. Conservationists have strapped solar-powered trackers to some of the birds, enabling . . . Complete story »
Grid problems cause South African delay
The South African government has confirmed that a lack of grid capacity and state utility Eskom’s inability to fund the necessary upgrades has been the primary reason behind the postponement of financial close on 878MW of projects. The seven projects, which were selected under round three of South Africa’s renewable energy independent power producers programme (REIPPP), were supposed to reach financial close on 30 July. However, Eskom is concerned that it does not have sufficient funds to complete the required . . . Complete story »
Headwind hits renewable energy
Driving north on the N10 past what once was elephant territory of the Eastern Cape, vervet monkeys forage alongside the road, monitor lizards sun themselves. Curiously, the further away you get from the windy city of Port Elizabeth – moving closer to the small town of Cookhouse – the more rapidly the steel blades on the windmills along the road spin. It certainly is a good day to visit a wind farm, especially Africa’s largest wind farm, with an installed . . . Complete story »
Opposing wind generators is not anti-green
The intolerance of dissenting views by the Green Lobby is an unpleasant aspect of some of its members. They are perhaps unaware that tolerance of difference is a pillar of democracy and essential to individual freedom. But, whatever the reasons for vitriolic attacks on those against wind generators, environmentalists should take a closer look at Scottish opposition. The most prominent in Scotland is the Windfarm Action Group. This group firmly states that everyone should take environmental responsibilities seriously. Whatever the . . . Complete story »
Anger over Addo road closures
Road closures related to the transportation of wind turbine components have left members of the hospitality industry in and around Addo fuming. Components en route to the Grassridge Wind Farm, situated along the R335 between Port Elizabeth and Addo, will be loaded onto abnormally large trucks at the Port of Ngqura. Some roads between the harbour and the farm will be closed for short periods in the morning. But various tourist destinations and accommodation providers, including the Addo Elephant National . . . Complete story »
Leaders fight for wind farms
Johannesburg – Former homeland areas in the Eastern Cape’s Transkei and Ciskei regions are gearing up, through the House of Traditional Leaders, to take on private farming enterprises for a share in the lucrative renewable energy market. The House of Traditional Leaders in the Eastern Cape has argued that the lack of investment in the former homelands is attributed to government’s failure to effect a coherent land reform tenure policy that is in line with the national strategy, which will . . . Complete story »
Loss of grassland hits the Blue Crane
This species is being seriously threatened by high mortalities from collisions with power lines and electrocutions on pylons. As a result, its conservation status is “vulnerable” and there are only about 25 000 of these beautiful birds left in South Africa. According to the Overberg Crane Group, a partnership between the Overberg community and CapeNature, past populations were estimated at about 100 000 individual birds. Now, new wind farms will only increase the threat – particularly in the Western Cape, conservationists warn. Complete story »
Vultures threatened by Lesotho’s first wind farm
A controversial wind farm proposed for Lesotho’s Maluti-Drakensberg region has received the green light from the Lesotho government. But BirdLife South Africa and its conservation partners have requested that the government of this mountainous independent kingdom rethink its decision, because the wind farm “compromises the survival of vultures in the region and the reputation of the fledging wind energy industry in southern Africa.” The 42-turbine wind energy project is a project of PowerNET Developments (Pty) Ltd, a joint venture between . . . Complete story »
Controversial wind farm in Lesotho gets the go-ahead
The controversial wind farm proposed for Lesotho’s Maluti-Drakensberg received the go-ahead from the Lesotho Government in October 2013. Conservationists are concerned that this decision does not bode well for the future of vultures in the region or for the reputation of the fledging wind energy industry in southern Africa. “Approval of the Letseng project is a source of great concern to BirdLife”, said Ken Mwathe, BirdLife International’s Africa Policy Programme Coordinator. “African governments must tread carefully on renewable energy projects . . . Complete story »
