Noodsberg power station — South Africa

Noodsberg power station is a 19 MW biomass power plant in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is operated by Illovo Sugar Africa Holdings Ltd. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 26k homes (estimated). It ranks #127 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-6253.

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 19 MW, Noodsberg power station is around 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

5.4% 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 Illovo Sugar Africa Holdings Ltd.

Local climate & thermal context

This biomass plant burns organic material (wood, residues) to raise steam for a turbine. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 29.4°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 73% 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: 23/100 — 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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness 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 #7 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

• Avon power station · Gas · 670 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Maidstone power station · Biomass · 21.2 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Mariannhill Landfill · Waste · 2 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Bisasar Road Landfill · Waste · 6.5 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Gledhow Cogeneration power station · Biomass · 14.3 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Darnall power station · Biomass · 13 MW · KwaZulu-Natal

Location

Coordinates -29.3598, 30.6868 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions