The South African government has stressed that there is sufficient "flexibility" in the formulation of the country's electricity master plan to accommodate a vision for a large-scale solar park in the Northern Cape. This, despite a glaring misalignment between the 5 000-MW Upington plan and the draft integrated resource plan, or IRP2010, which was published in early October.

The draft document suggests that only 600 MW of solar capacity should be developed by 2019, and that various renewable-energy technologies, worth a combined 7 200 MW, be introduced between 2020 and 2030 in addition to projects selected under the first phase of the renewable energy feed-in tariffs, as well as 3 800 MW of additional wind energy, to be introduced from 2014.

But Energy Minister Dipuo Peters argued that it would be "woefully wrong" for this to be interpreted to mean that government was not committed to the solar park, the prefeasibility study for which was completed with the support of the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI).

"The draft IRP is written with enough flexibility to accommodate the solar park concept," Peters said, while reaffirming her commitment to the development of the solar park in the Northern Cape by the end of the decade.

She stressed, too, that the IRP2010 remained a draft and that public input would be sought ahead of Cabinet approval and eventual promulgation.

It is understood that a feasibility study, which was currently under way, would seek to firm up the technical mix of the first 1 000 MW ahead of an investor conference, which is planned for Upington on October 28 and October 29.

This study, which would focus on grid connectivity and defining the best mix between peaking and base-load capacity, together with feedback from investors, could influence the final IRP2010 version, which was likely to be delayed.

Government would like to finalise the IRP2010 by year-end. But business, labour and community groups have requested that the comment period be extended from 30 to 60 days to cater for more meaningful feedback.

WWF South Africa climate change programme manager Richard Worthington, who also believes that the comment period should be extended, added that if South Africa was serious about localisation of its energy programme, the IRP2010 draft "is inadequate", owing to the slow scale-up proposed for renewable-energy technologies, including solar.

"To do so, we need to be looking at introducing 300 MW a year from 2015 or sooner," Worthington told Engineering News, adding that South Africa had an opportunity to become a leading producer of solar-thermal technologies.

This industrialisation opportunity was also emphasised recently by CCI chairperson Ira Magaziner, who said that there was material interest within South Africa's manufacturing industry to produce solar components for local, regional and international projects.

"South Africa's significant manufactuirng base could be expanded in glass, steel and metalworking . . . and could be built into an effective industry," he said, adding that the solar-park feasibility study should be completed soon.

Magaziner also described the Northern Cape solar resource as the "best we have found anywhere in the world" - the CCI is also pursuing solar initiatives in India, Australia and California.

"You have a solar radiation index that, at 2 900, is the highest we have seen - higher even that the Mojave Desert, in California," he said, highlighting too the proximity of transmission infrastructure and the availability of suitable land and water, which had few alternative uses in the Northern Cape.