Lilitha Solar is one of South Africa’s larger solar projects with 300 000 installed solar modules across 191 hectares, positioned to harness the intense Northern Cape sun. This 75MW project, generates enough renewable energy to provide the country with 183 000 MWh of much-needed green energy each year in addition to displacing over 177 000 tonnes of CO2 each year.

Part of Round 2 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), Lilitha Solar feeds power from Bushbuck De Aar substation to Eskom’s Hydra Substation and then into the national grid.

Having reached commercial operations, 2 April 2016, the project is located on 263 hectares of parched farm land, leased 11km outside of the small rural town of De Aar on the road to Philipstown.

Furthermore, the project represents an investment of circa R1billion of local content investment, providing the local economy stimulus for establishing local manufacturing capacity and local economic development.

Despite appearances, the environmental audit showed that this dry land area is in fact rich in fauna and flora. Sightings include the vulnerable avifauna species of the Lesser Kestrel, Amur Falcon, White Stork, Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk and Blue Korhaan.