Energy Development Corporation (EDC) Projects
The Energy Development Corporation (EDC) was established in January 2004 as a division of the Central Energy Fund (CEF). CEF is a private company comprising various divisions, owned by the Government of South Africa and controlled by the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME). Theefocus of the EDC is to invest in renewable energy and alternate energy fields. EDC focuses on a number of areas including solar energy, wind energy, hydro energy, biomass, biogas and low-smoke fuels. The EDC aims to assist the government in fulfilling its renewable energy production target of 10 000 GWh by 2013. EDC is primarily an equity investor with a long-term commercial perspective. Partnerships with development organisations and donor funds, as part of EDCs investment management, ensure funding stability and that benefits continue to be delivered. Donor agencies with which EDC has mutual co-operation include: Danish International Development Assistance (Danida); Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation (Norad); German Technical Assistance (GTZ); United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); and Global Environment Facility (GEF). Some projects undertaken by the EDC include: The Darling Demonstration Wind Farm in the Western Cape, a 5.2 MW project in which the CEF is investing ZAR 19.3 million, and undertaken in partnership with the Danish government and the Development Bank of South Africa. The Bethlehem small hydro project, expected to generate 3.9 MW of hydropower as an independent producer. The annual power production is 28.6 GWh, equivalent to ZAR 4.5 million worth of electricity. The solar water heating project, aiming first to install and subsides 500 solar water heaters in low-, middle- and high-income urban households. Next over 9000 solar water heaters are to be installed. The project has thus far resulted in the development of standards for domestic solar water heaters, as well as the purchase of a solar water heater test rig.
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