Sishen Photovoltaic Plant

The Sishen plant in South Africa is the biggest photovoltaic facility built by ACCIONA in the world and the plant that produces the most electricity of its kind in Africa, thanks to an annual generation forecast of 216 GWh, equivalent to consumption by 100,000 homes.

The station brings together a maximum capacity of 94.2 Megawatts (74 MW nominal) and comprises 319,600 photovoltaic panels, which, if they were to be stretched out in a single line, would run for 327 km.

Sishen was the first milestone reached by ACCIONA with respect to renewable energies in South Africa. Operating since 2014, the facility has one of the best availability factors for photovoltaic plants in the world thanks to the abundance of sunlight in the region in which it was situated.

Renewable production from the plant avoids the emission of 208,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year from coal stations – the main source of electricity generation in South Africa – representing a cleaning effect on the atmosphere equivalent to that of 10 million trees.

Sishen, 51% owned by ACCIONA, was developed with the South African group Aveng and other local partners. It has generated local jobs, contracting 94% South African workers during construction.

Discover the project's story: SISHEN: WHERE THE SUN’S THE LIMIT