Wind energy farm will help solve power crisis

South Africa inaugurated its first commercial wind farm. It's located in Darling, a town of 5,000 people, will provide only a 100th of national energy needs but the country's minerals and energy minister called it a first key step. Fossils fuels would become scarce, and were more expensive to decommission than renewable energy plants. South Africa had approximately 25 years left of easily extractable coal reserves. The four turbines will save an estimated 100,000 tons in coal consumption. The wind farm, which has four wind turbines, can supply 5,2 megawatts of electricity, will produce enough energy to satisfy 60 percent of Darling's energy needs in winter and 90 percent in summer. This project was indeed significant as it contributed to the provincial government's target of increasing the generation of renewable energy to 15% by 2014. The project was developed by a group consisting of private developers. There are plans to erect an additional 16 turbines to allow the farm to supply energy to other parts of Cape Town.

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