Kathu CSP

Kathu CSP is a 100 MW solar power station in Northern Cape, South Africa. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 42,548 homes (estimated). It ranks #43 of 122 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, solar supplies about 8.0% of South Africa's electricity; the national grid averages 699 gCO₂/kWh (17.8% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WKS0064975.

Capacity vs largest solar plants in South Africa

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

Local climate & thermal context

This solar plant converts sunlight directly into electricity with photovoltaic panels. It sits in a hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 27.6°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 70% 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: 24/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

In colder climates, uninsulated hot equipment (boilers, turbines, valves, steam lines) loses proportionally more heat to ambient air — exactly the loss Inzonex modular insulation is designed to cut.

Solar PV loses ~0.35%/°C above 25°C cell temperature — roughly 0.1% at warm-season highs here (estimate).

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.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #2 largest solar power plant of 44 in South Africa by capacity.

South Africa has 44 solar power plants in this dataset, together about 2,313 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Kathu Solar Park · Solar · 100 MW · Northern Cape
• Sishen Solar Power Plant · Solar · 94 MW · Northern Cape
• Karoo Renewable Energy Facility (Nobelsfontein Wind) · Wind · 74 MW · Northern Cape
• Adams Solar PV Project · Solar · 82 MW · Northern Cape
• Lesedi Solar Power Plant · Solar · 75 MW · Northern Cape
• Jasper Solar Power Plant · Solar · 96 MW · Northern Cape

Location

Coordinates -27.613, 23.025 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.