PetroSA Biogas Plant — South Africa
Waste power plant in Western Cape, South Africa. Approximate location -34.145, 22.1045.
WasteWestern CapeSouth Africa
PetroSA Biogas Plant is a 4.2 MW waste power plant in Western Cape, South Africa. It is operated by The Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 5.8k homes (estimated). It ranks #148 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2007, it is around 19 years old — relatively modern. In context, the national grid averages 699 gCO₂/kWh (17.8% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1026012.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 4.2 MW, PetroSA Biogas Plant is around the median waste plant in South Africa (4.2 MW). Waste-to-energy plants burn municipal solid waste to generate electricity and heat, cutting landfill volume while recovering energy from residual waste.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of South Africa waste capacity
- 9.9% of 43 MW across 6 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 0 of 4 dated waste plants in South Africa are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest waste plants in South Africa
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by The Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa.
Local climate & thermal context
This waste plant recovers energy by combusting municipal or industrial waste. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 34.1°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 80% 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
This site sits in an aggressive, high-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C5 — Very high), with marine salt corrosion 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 #3 largest waste power plant of 6 in South Africa by capacity.
South Africa has 6 waste power plants in this dataset, together about 43 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Gourikwa · Oil · 740 MW · Western Cape
Location
Coordinates -34.145, 22.1045 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is PetroSA Biogas Plant?
PetroSA Biogas Plant is a 4.2 MW waste power plant in Western Cape, South Africa, commissioned in 2007.
Who operates PetroSA Biogas Plant?
PetroSA Biogas Plant is operated by The Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa.