Coastal and fisheries governance
Touwsrivier Solar Energy Facility
Photo: Sandra Rippon
The promotion of renewable energy in South Africa is part of a government initiative to diversify electricity supply in order to address energy security and reduce local emissions. At the same time South Africa is seeking to reduce impacts on climate change and has made commitments in terms of a number of international agreements, most recently the Copenhagen Accord of 2009. Solar energy is one of a number of freely available sources for renewable power generation. This form of renewable energy technology often has the least impact on the surrounding environment in terms of emissions, waste, and noise. This project for a solar energy power plant uses Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) technology to convert energy from sunlight into electricity for contribution to the national electricity grid.
The Environmental Evaluation Unit has been appointed as the independent environmental practitioner to seek environmental authorisation for the development and to manage the Scoping and EIA process. The proposed Touwsrivier Solar Energy Facility will comprise approximately 7,700 solar tracker units with the potential to generate 50MW of energy for national distribution. Associated infrastructure includes a new substation, a facility for operational and maintenance functions with a parking area and a bus turning point. The preferred site is located is located approximately 12km South West of Touws River.
The Touwsrivier Solar Energy Facility received Environmental Authorisation from the National Department of Environmental Affairs on 29 August 2011.
Documents available for download
| Title | Description | Size |
| Touwsrivier Final EIR | The Proposed Touwsrivier Solar Energy Facility: Final Environmental Impact Report | 7.27MB |
| Appendix 0 | Title Page | 296KB |
| Appendix 1.1 | Eskom Grid Connection Letter | 54KB |
| Appendix 1.2 | Department of Environmental Affairs Letter of Acceptance of the Final Scoping Report | 294KB |
| Appendix 1.3 | Constraints Map & Other Status Quo Mapping | 4,240KB |
| Appendix 2.1 | CV of EEU Staff: - Merle Sowm | 592KB |
| Appendix 2.2 | Specialist CV: - Geotechnical & Hydrological: Mike Van Wieringen & Associates - Botanical: Jan Vlok, Regalis Environmental | 532KB |
| Appendix 2.3 | I&AP Database | 73KB |
| Appendix 4.1 | Preliminary Site Assessment | 1,438KB |
| Appendix 6.1 | Listed Activities | 88KB |
| Appendix 7.1 | Site Notice Board | 707KB |
| Appendix 7.2 | Newspaper Advertisement | 1,952KB |
| Appendix 7.3 | Written Notices | 1,214KB |
| Appendix 7.4 | Background Information Document (BID): BID in English BID in Afrikaans | 1,384KB |
| Appendix 7.5 | Minutes of Public Meetings | 774KB |
| Appendix 7.6 | Minutes of Stakeholder Meetings | 295KB |
| Appendix 7.7 | Issues and Response Report | 3,707KB |
| Appendix 8.1 | Geotechnical Report | 7,074KB |
| Appendix 8.2 | Agricultural Potential Report | 202KB |
| Appendix 8.3 | Botanical Impact Assessment | 403KB |
| Appendix 8.4 | Faunal Impact Assessment | 982KB |
| Appendix 8.5 | Social Impact Assessment | 1,061KB |
| Appendix 8.6 | Visual Impact Assessment | 206KB |
| Appendix 8.6 | Visual Impact Assessment Figures | 2,236KB |
| Appendix 8.7 | Heritage Impact Assessment | 1,046KB |
| Appendix 8.8 | Palaeontological Impact Assessment | 1,928KB |
