Khi Solar One, Solar power tower plant in the Northern Cape, South Africa
Khi Solar One is a large thermal solar power plant near Upington with a 205-meter tower surrounded by thousands of mirrors that concentrate sunlight. The facility covers 140 hectares and contains over 4,000 reflective mirrors that direct solar heat toward the central tower throughout the day to generate electricity.
The plant was completed in 2016 and became Africa's first power facility using mirror technology to convert sunlight into electricity. It was developed by the Spanish company Abengoa as part of South Africa's renewable energy program to reduce fossil fuel dependence.
The name "Khi" comes from a southern African language and means sun. For the local community, this installation represents a shift toward cleaner energy and progress, with schools and organizations visiting to learn about renewable technology firsthand.
The site is hot and sunny, so bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for protection. The grounds are open and flat, making it easy to walk around, though you should wear comfortable shoes and allow time to take in the scale of the mirror field and the height of the tower.
The plant can generate power for up to two hours after sunset thanks to a thermal storage system that keeps heat in tanks. This makes it Africa's first power facility able to provide continuous power around the clock without relying entirely on daylight.
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