JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.("JinkoSolar" or the "Company") (NYSE: JKS), a leading global solar power product manufacturer, announced that it has signed a contract with fix price to supply WBHO-Building Energy (Pty) Ltd. (“WBHO-BE”) with 81 MW of photovoltaic (PV) modules for the solar PV park project in Gamagara Local Municipality, Northern Cape Province, South Africa.
The project will be developed, designed, constructed and commissioned by WBHO- BE and is, so far, the largest project in African Continent and one of the first approved under the South African government’s Renewable Energy Program.
JinkoSolar will deliver a total of 344,540 PV high quality solar panels for the project, which is expected to generate approximately 146 GWh of power equivalent to supply electricity to 12,000 households and to reduce carbon emissions by about 145,800 tons annually.
The project will be the largest individual PV solar plants in South Africa upon its completion. Shipments starts in Q1 2013 and all PV panels will have been shipped before end of Q4, 2013.
“This 81 MW supply contract marks an important milestone for both JinkoSolar and our partner WBHO-BE in South Africa,” said Mr. Xiande Li, Chairman of JinkoSolar. “Thanks to rising energy prices, an abundance of sunshine and the sustainable support from Government to renewable Energies, South Africa’s is on track to become one of the fastest growing solar PV markets in the world as well as one of most important emerging markets for JinkoSolar.”
“The partnership and trust built between JinkoSolar and Building Energy (BE) during last two years in Europe, the clear commitment from JinkoSolar to our investment in developing the South African PV market and the Bankability obtained from over 40 Banks including South African Banks have been key in the decision from BE to consider Jinko’s modules in this project and the success of the financial closure. We look forward to the completion of this project and to making solar power increasingly cost competitive in South Africa,” added Mr. Xiande Li.