Environmental Impact Assessment
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Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the proposed Concentrated Solar Power Plant (Parabolic Trough) on the farm Sand Draai 391, Northern Cape – Environmental Scoping Report A Report for Solafrica 14/12/16/3/3/3/203 – Parabolic Trough DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Client: Solafrica Energy (Pty) Ltd Project Name: Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the proposed Concentrated Solar Power Plant (Parabolic Trough) on the farm Sand Draai 391, Northern Cape Royal HaskoningDHV Reference Number: T01.JNB.000565 Authority Reference Number: 14/12/16/3/3/3/203 – Parabolic Trough Compiled by: Johan Blignaut Date: July 2015 Location: Woodmead Review: Prashika Reddy & Malcolm Roods Approval: Malcolm Roods _____________________________ Signature © Royal HaskoningDHV All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission from Royal HaskoningDHV. Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Need and Desirability ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.2.1 Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Programme (REIPPPP) and Integrated Resource Plan (2010) ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.2.2 National Development Plan 2030 ................................................................................................... 2 1.2.3 Strategic Infrastructure Projects (SIPs) .......................................................................................... 2 1.2.4 Renewable Energy Development Zones (REDZ) ........................................................................... 3 1.3 Project Overview .................................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Approach to the EIA Studies .................................................................................................................. 5 1.4.1 Environmental Scoping Study ........................................................................................................ 6 1.4.2 Environmental Impact Study ........................................................................................................... 8 1.5 Details of Environmental Assessment Practitioner ................................................................................ 8 1.6 Structure of this Report ........................................................................................................................ 10 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ......................................................................................................................... 13 2.1 The Proposed Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Plant ...................................................................... 13 2.2 Electricity Generation using Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) & Photovoltaic (PV) Technologies ... 13 2.3 Fundamental Terminology.................................................................................................................... 14 2.3.1 Insulation, Irradiance and Irradiating ............................................................................................ 14 2.4 Concentrated Solar Power and Photovoltaic Technologies ................................................................. 15 2.4.1 CSP Technology ........................................................................................................................... 15 2.4.2 Photovoltaic Technology .............................................................................................................. 19 3 PROJECT ALTERNATIVES ...................................................................................................................... 21 3.1 No-go Alternative .................................................................................................................................. 21 3.2 Site Alternatives ................................................................................................................................... 22 3.2.1 Site Alternatives Identified within the Northern Cape Province for the Establishment of the new CSP Plant ..................................................................................................................................... 22 3.3 Layout Alternatives ............................................................................................................................... 22 3.4 Technology Alternatives ....................................................................................................................... 23 3.5 Water Supply Pipelines ........................................................................................................................ 27 3.6 Access Roads ...................................................................................................................................... 27 3.7 Transmission Lines .............................................................................................................................. 27 3.8 Waste Storage Areas ........................................................................................................................... 27 3.9 Storeroom(s) and Construction Camps ................................................................................................ 27 4 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................................................... 28 4.1 The Constitution of South Africa .......................................................................................................... 28 4.2 National Legislation and Regulations ................................................................................................... 28 4.2.1 The National Environmental Management Act (No 107 of 1998)(as amended) .......................... 28 4.2.2 The National Heritage Resources Act (No 25 of 1999) ................................................................ 30 4.2.3 The National Environmental Management: Waste Act (No 59 of 2008) ...................................... 31 4.2.4 The National Water Act (No 36 of 1998) ...................................................................................... 32 4.2.5 National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 ............................................... 33 4.2.6 Hazardous Substance Act (No 15 of 1973) and Regulations ....................................................... 34 4.2.7 Legal Requirements in Terms of Other Acts ................................................................................ 34 5 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS ....................................................................................................... 37 5.1 Overview of the Public Participation Process Undertaken during the Scoping Phase ........................ 37 5.2 Identification of Key Stakeholders ........................................................................................................ 37 5.3 Advertising ............................................................................................................................................ 38 5.4 Briefing Paper ....................................................................................................................................... 38 5.5 Site Notices .......................................................................................................................................... 38 5.6 Pamphlets ............................................................................................................................................ 39 5.7 Review of Environmental Scoping Report............................................................................................ 39 5.7.1 Authority Review of Draft Environmental Scoping Report ............................................................ 39 5.7.2 Public Review of Draft Environmental Scoping Report ................................................................ 39 5.7.3 Final Environmental Scoping Report ............................................................................................ 40 5.8 Consultation and Public Involvement ................................................................................................... 40 5.9 Social Issues Trail ................................................................................................................................ 41 6 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA .................................................................................. 42 6.1 Biophysical Environment ...................................................................................................................... 42 6.1.1 Locality .......................................................................................................................................... 42 6.1.2 Climate .......................................................................................................................................... 42 6.1.3 Geology 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