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Coega IDZ Windfarm

Wind power plant in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Approximate location -33.676, 25.6028.

WindEastern CapeSouth Africa

Coega IDZ Windfarm is a 74 MW wind power plant in Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is operated by Electrawinds Africa and Indian Ocean Islands (Pty). Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 63k homes (estimated). It ranks #98 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2010, it is around 16 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, wind supplies about 4.7% of South Africa's electricity; the national grid averages 699 gCO₂/kWh (17.8% low-carbon) (2025).

74Legacy source-record capacity
62,801homes powered (est.)
2010commissioned (~16 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1026027.

Data status

Known data

FacilityCoega IDZ Windfarm WRI
CountrySouth Africa · Eastern Cape WRI
Coordinates-33.676, 25.6028 WRI
FuelWind WRI
MW installed capacity74 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised
OwnerElectrawinds Africa and Indian Ocean Islands (Pty) WRI
Commissioned2010 WRI

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#98 of 152 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#15 of 24 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers0.79× · 94 MW median · 24 peers calculated
Homes-powered equivalent62,801 calculated
Climate18.2°C · HDD 430 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC4 · 35/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

TechnologyNot available not in dataset
GWh reported / yrNot available not in dataset
CO₂ emissionsnot applicable not applicable

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

The capacity and fuel fields on this page are source-record values from the upstream open dataset. They are useful for identification and ranking, but they have not been upgraded to a 2026 registry/GEM-location verified value.

capacity: WRI Global Power Plant Database source-record (legacy); fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

At 74 MW, Coega IDZ Windfarm is below the median wind plant in South Africa (94 MW). Wind turbines convert moving air into electricity; output is variable and site-dependent, and modern turbines deliver some of the lowest-cost new generation on many grids.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Capacity vs largest wind plants in South Africa

Longyuan Mulilo Green Energy De Aar 2 North Wind Energy Facility: 144 MW144Longyuan M…Khobab Wind: 140 MW140Khobab WindLoeriesfontein 2: 140 MW140Loeriesfon…Cookhouse: 139 MW139CookhouseGouda Wind Farm: 138 MW138Gouda Wind…Jeffrey's Bay Wind Farm: 138 MW138Jeffrey's …Amakhala Emoyeni Wind Farm: 131 MW131Amakhala E…Dorper Wind Farm: 100 MW100Dorper Win…

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Electrawinds Africa and Indian Ocean Islands (Pty).

Local climate & thermal context

This wind plant converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity through turbine rotors. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 33.7°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

18.2°Cannual mean temp
430heating degree-days (base 18°C)
484cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
47 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 22 °CJF: 22 °CFM: 21 °CMA: 19 °CAM: 17 °CMJ: 15 °CJJ: 14 °CJA: 15 °CAS: 16 °CSO: 18 °CON: 19 °CND: 21 °CD22 °C

Heating degree-days here run 83% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 20/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

For a plant’s outdoor hardware — heat-recovery steam generators (HRSG), expansion joints, valves, flanges and their insulation — the local climate sets how fast unprotected steel and coatings degrade. This site sits in a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C4ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
35/100environmental-severity index
8.1°Cseasonal temperature swing
60 kmdistance to coast

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #15 largest wind power plant of 24 in South Africa by capacity.

South Africa has 24 wind power plants in this dataset, together about 2,029 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates -33.676, 25.6028 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Coega IDZ Windfarm?

Coega IDZ Windfarm is a 74 MW source-record wind power plant in Eastern Cape, South Africa, commissioned in 2010.

How many homes can Coega IDZ Windfarm power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 62,801 homes (estimated).

Who operates Coega IDZ Windfarm?

Coega IDZ Windfarm is operated by Electrawinds Africa and Indian Ocean Islands (Pty).

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