Malelane power station — South Africa

Malelane power station is a 34.4 MW biomass power plant in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It is operated by Transvaal Suiker Beperk Middenen Ontwikkeling Pty Ltd. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 47k homes (estimated). It ranks #112 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. In context, biomass supplies about 0.2% 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 CT-6252.

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: Climate TRACE; fuel: Climate TRACE

In context: how this plant compares

At 34.4 MW, Malelane power station is well above the median biomass plant in South Africa (19 MW). Biomass plants burn organic material such as wood, residues or waste-derived fuel to raise steam; they are dispatchable and counted as low-carbon where the feedstock is sustainably sourced.

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

Key facts

Share of South Africa biomass capacity

9.8% of 350 MW across 14 plants in this dataset

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest biomass plants in South Africa

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

Owner

Operated by Transvaal Suiker Beperk Middenen Ontwikkeling Pty Ltd.

Local climate & thermal context

This biomass plant burns organic material (wood, residues) to raise steam for a turbine. It sits in a hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 25.5°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 96% 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: 15/100 — 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

This site sits in a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.

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 #2 largest biomass power plant of 14 in South Africa by capacity.

South Africa has 14 biomass power plants in this dataset, together about 350 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Khanyazwe Flexpower power station · Gas · 1,000 MW · Mpumalanga
• Komati (biomass) power station · Biomass · 20 MW · Mpumalanga
• Gigawatt Mozambique power station · Gas · 117 MW · Ressano Garcia
• Ressano Garcia power plant · Gas · 175 MW · Ressano Garcia
• Lomati · Biomass · 10.1 MW · Mpumalanga
• Corumana · Hydro · 166 MW · Maputo

Location

Coordinates -25.4643, 31.5662 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions