By Anita Dangazele
- The Umoyilanga Dassiesridge project will combine wind, solar and battery storage to supply 75 megawatts of reliable electricity in the Eastern Cape.
- The R4.4-billion project will create 890 jobs and fund skills training, small businesses and community upliftment in Nelson Mandela Bay.
South Africa’s first renewable energy project combining wind, solar and battery storage is being built in Gqeberha, and it promises to power over 120,000 homes.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Public Works Minister Dean MacPherson visited the site on Thursday. The Umoyilanga Dassiesridge project will deliver 75 megawatts of power once finished and create more than 890 jobs.
The project works like a “virtual power plant” by linking two sites almost 900 kilometres apart. In the Northern Cape, Avondale will provide solar power with batteries. In the Eastern Cape, Dassiesridge will supply wind power with its own battery storage. Together they will ensure steady electricity from early morning until late at night.
Batteries will store power when demand is low and release it when needed, making supply more reliable even when the wind drops or the sun goes down.
Mashatile said energy security is key to fixing the economy and creating jobs. “We are happy to witness this project. The private sector is involved, and more projects are now rolling out,” he said.
Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Babalwa Lobishe welcomed the investment. She said the project will not only bring power but also skills training, support for small businesses and funds to uplift communities.
Pictured above: Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Public Works Minister Dean MacPherson and Eastern Cape MEC Siphokazi Lusithi during a site visit in Gqeberha.
Image source: Anita Dangazele
