The wind farm’s primary areas of community economic development are in Cookhouse, Bedford, Adelaide and Somerset East. The project committed 1.5% of its total revenue towards socio-economic development and 0.6% to developing local enterprises. Two community trusts each hold 2.5% of the shares in the project company.
The Amakhala Emoyeni Wind Farm is a 134.4 MW wind farm comprising 56 Nordex N117 P91 turbines. The Department of Energy approved the project in Round 1 of the REIPPPP. It is situated on farmland between the towns of Cookhouse and Bedford in the Eastern Cape province and has been fully operational since June 2015.
The wind farm’s primary areas of community economic development are in Cookhouse, Bedford, Adelaide and Somerset East. The project committed 1.5% of its total revenue towards socio-economic development and 0.6% to developing local enterprises. Two community trusts each hold 2.5% of the shares in the project company.
Community benefit highlights
- Improvement of teaching and learning of mathematics and science in local High Schools
- Drivers license programme for unemployed youth
- Business development for invasive alien plant clearing and rehabilitation company
- Community-run recycling project
- Sponsorship of sport events
  |
Community benefits created to-date
Community ownership
The Amakhala Emoyeni Bedford Community Trust and the Amakhala Emoyeni Cookhouse Community Trust each hold 2.5% of the total shares in the wind farm project company.
The beneficiaries of the trust’s activities are the residents of the respective towns.
