Located only 7km’s from the tiny West Coast town of Aurora, in the Western Cape, this 10.93MW solar project works to help supply close on 20GWh’s of clean power– enough to power over 9 000 average homes – each year.
Just as importantly, Aurora-Rietvlei Solar is committed to improving the lives of the town’s community, named for its beauty and light – most befitting for a solar project.
ABOUT US
Constructed on 15.45ha of agricultural land, Aurora-Rietvlei Solar falls within the Bergrivier Local Municipality, situated 43 kilometres north-west of Piketberg and 29km south of Redelinghuys. The project feeds into the Vredelus Substation, generating power from 36 440 x 300kW Renesola solar PV modules, locally manufactured by Solaire Direct Technologies.
This solar project began supplying electricity to the grid in 2014, a year after construction commenced, and forms part of the second round of the country’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
Aurora-Rietvlei Solar Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd is owned by Old Mutual, various funds managed by African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), Aurora J&J HoldCo, Engie Solar Africa, and Aurora Solar Community Trust. Solaire Contracting (Pty) Ltd is the Operation & Maintenance service provider.
10.93MW
solar project
9 000
average homes
36 440
Renesola
solar PV modules
Funded by Aurora-Rietvlei Solar, in collaboration with the Bergriver Library, has been running a reading project initiative, to encourage learners to read as many books as possible. During 2022, the learners who had read the most books received bicycles at the closing out event in December. This project will continue in 2023. Furthermore, as part of the Reading Programme, we will also look at providing spectacles to learners who are having difficulty with their sight.
This Early Childhood Development Centre was established in 2017 by Aurora-Rietvlei Solar, as the first daycare centre in the area.
The centre, which currently has 20 children registered, three teaching staff members, and two general staff, is being funded in terms of rental, salaries and staff training.
The Aurora Women’s Network is a programme close to our hearts, which benefits from revenue generated from the solar project each year.
The funds are intended to build resilience, accelerate growth and support local entrepreneurial spirit to ultimately stimulate and create opportunities for the people of Aurora.
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COMMUNITY
Funding from Aurora Solar is used to support a number of projects to benefit the local community of Aurora. This includes both local socio-economic development and enterprise development initiatives with the solar project supporting its first enterprise development programme in 2023, aimed at boosting local SMME’s and entrepreneurs’ access to the economy, thereby stimulating skills and jobs
Supporting early childhood development centres, soup kitchens, local schools and a number of other social welfare initiatives, via the Aurora Solar Community Trust, helps to improve the lives of hundreds.
NEWS
Please take a moment to read our latest newsletter, headlines include: Sanitary Pad Vending Machine Project Spectacles Project Upliftment of Sports in Schools Click HERE to read
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