Vredendal Solar Power Plant — South Africa

Vredendal Solar Power Plant is a 8.8 MW solar power plant in Western Cape, South Africa. It is operated by Solairedirect Southern Africa. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 3.7k homes (estimated). It ranks #142 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2014, it is around 12 years old — relatively modern. 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 WRI1026061.

Capacity provenance

The public capacity above is a source-verified 2026 capacity claim: 9 MW for Vredendal Solar Park.

GEM · 2026 · operating plant capacity

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000827744; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 8.8 MW, Vredendal Solar Power Plant is below the median solar plant in South Africa (66 MW). Technically it is described as PV. Solar PV converts sunlight directly into electricity with no moving parts or fuel; output varies by time of day and weather, so it pairs with storage or flexible backup.

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

Key facts

Share of South Africa solar capacity

0.4% of 2,490 MW across 44 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

4 of 37 dated solar 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 solar plants in South Africa

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

Owner

Operated by Solairedirect Southern Africa.

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 31.6°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 82% 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.

Solar PV loses ~0.35%/°C above 25°C cell temperature — roughly 0.0% 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.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), 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 #42 largest solar power plant of 44 in South Africa by capacity.

South Africa has 44 solar power plants in this dataset, together about 2,490 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Klawer Wind Farm · Wind · 30 MW · Western Cape
• Sere · Wind · 100 MW · Western Cape
• Paleisheuwel Solar Power Plant · Solar · 82.5 MW · Western Cape
• Aurora Solar Power Plant · Solar · 10.3 MW · Western Cape
• West Coast 1 · Wind · 94 MW · Western Cape
• Karpowership Saldanha power station · Gas · 320 MW · Western Cape

Location

Coordinates -31.634, 18.5053 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions