EES, an ISO 9001:2008 certified company, which provides management, engineering and technical auditing solutions, has embarked on a contract in the renewable energy sector, applying its engineering project management techniques to two solar Photovoltaic plants in the Northern Cape.  These plants form a significant part of the extensive solar energy developments currently being undertaken in South Africa.

In continually adapting to industry requirements, EES is using its project management capabilities to move into the burgeoning field of renewable energy.  The company strongly believes that the current move to alternative energy resources in South Africa is crucial in a country desperately needing to balance energy supply and demand through a progressive new supply policy drive.

"South Africa, a country beset by dire power capacity challenges, is increasingly turning towards renewable energy, and this new era of renewable energy generation, while still in its early stages, is nevertheless fast gaining momentum," states Bradley Hemphill, Managing Director of EES.  

"It is also vital that the country moves away from its reliance on coal-fired power and reduces its carbon footprint.  The use of alternative clean energy sources is a natural step in the right direction," Hemphill continues.

PV utilises panels with semiconductor material to convert solar radiation into electricity.  It is an integral part of the renewable energy generation mix and will help in the sustainability objective of future supply in our country and the SADC region.

The projects are an outcome of the first round of the Department of Energy's (DoE) Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Programme (REIPPP), which reached financial close in late 2012.