| Overview : The Eastern Cape (EC) Province of South Africa (SA) and the Lower Saxony State of Germany have been engaged in a longstanding twinning partnership arrangement resulting in a mini-grid pilot that was initiated to electrify the small village of Upper Blinkwater (UB) in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality (RMLM). The village is comprised of approximately 70 households, a school and a church and surrounded by mountains (-32°34'34.88"S, 26°33'7.08"E). The project represents a model for supplying high quality energy to deep rural villages which are not due to be connected to the national electricity grid in the foreseeable future, providing improved living conditions and economic opportunities for inhabitants. It seeks to demonstrate that even in the absence of a comprehensive power grid, communities can be provided with electricity by relying predominantly on renewable energies. This represents a first of its kind technical and institutional model for rural electrification which, if successful, can be implemented in other rural villages in the region. This holistic village development concept aims to provide much needed socio-economic development opportunities for inhabitants, slowing down rural-urban migration. With careful attention to the demand requirements of the village, the mini-grid power system was developed and includes a 75 kWp photovoltaic (PV) system, 370 kWh battery storage, and a 20 kW backup diesel generator (400 l diesel storage) – all with an integrated vending system, smart meters and demand side management interface. The EC Government, through the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT), expressed an interest in collaborating with South Africa Wind Energy Project (SAWEP) Phase 2 to add the wind component into the UB mini-grid project. The PV and diesel genset components of the UB project are already at an advanced stage which makes it a win-win situation for SAWEP and the UB project. SAWEP supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with resources from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and implemented by the Department of Minerals Resources and Energy (DMRE) and the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) with a variety of partners: https://sawep.co.za is seeking services of the service provider for the design, planning, engineering, procurement (manufacturing/supply according to specifications), construction/erection, connection to the PV, genset system, testing and commissioning of 6 x small scale wind turbines with total capacity 21 kW including one year of operation, maintenance and capacity building services to the UB community. The work shall include all labour, materials and equipment necessary to design, install and commission the Works, as well as the maintenance component. All work not expressly called for in this document, but necessary for the complete and proper erection, operation and maintenance of the facility, shall be performed and furnished by the Contractor at no additional cost. |
