http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/articles/i/5126/?cid=3

US renewables developer SolarReserve was another winner in South Africa's latest tender to build 1 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2016.

The California-based company, along with two South African partners The Kensani Group and Intikon Energy, has been awarded preferred bidder status for an 88 MW photovoltaic project as part of the country's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).

The latest award takes the consortium's total to three projects totalling 238 MW from previous tendering rounds, representing 20% of South Africa's total solar energy market.

In the first tendering round, the partners were awarded two 75 MW projects, Letsatsi and Lesedi, which are expected to begin construction in June.

The new 88 MW Jasper project was one of the two largest projects in the second round of bidding, which saw nine bidders allocated 417 MW out of a potential 1225 MW of renewable capacity.

"The award of the Jasper project to our consortium by the South African government further establishes SolarReserve and our partners in the Southern Africa solar markets," says Kevin Smith, CEO of SolarReserve.

Meanwhile, Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has emerged as one of the major winners in the wind section of the programme.