On my recent trip to South Africa a few of us chartered surveyors went on safari. However our game was geomatics related and our chat full of geo speak. Our host, Martin de Beer from MnSGroup, flew us to Augrabies and en route we flew over the Khi Solar One farm which his team had surveyed. The tower is over 200m tall and the focal point of the surrounding 4000 mirrors (heliostats to be precise - although I really do think it just means "mobile mirror"). A useful factsheet is here.
It was nearly possible to watch the solar panels (each approx 8x150m) rotate as they followed the sun.
More technical details on KaXu are here.
Adjacent to KaXu Solar One is the new site, Xina Solar One, on which a similar sized farm is being constructed. The Environmental and Social plan by the African Development Bank is an interesting read. MnS Group have a couple of survey teams here and one of their chief surveyors kindly drove us around this enormous site explaining how the construction is developing.
The original ground cover is desert shrub land which is cleared, and then smoothed using these bulldozers.
Each parabolic panel sits on two precisely engineered struts which are set using this metal frame.
Drilling the hole.
These moulds fit the top of each concrete post. The metal rod is inserted, the concrete poured in and the moulds used to shape the top.
A series of dual-struts being fixed.
Hundreds and hundreds of them.
Ooh, look, surveyor.
Workers on top of the new processing plant. This is the hub of the plant controlling the collection and generation of the power.
We loved this door - I want one for work!
Accommodation for some of the project team. A pool and astroturf in the desert. Lush.
Team geomatics.
The following day we flew up the Orange River for sunset. Like you do. We were considering heading back when Martin suddenly said "oh wait, I recognise the road...KaXu is just over the hill..." and before we knew it we were flying over farm.
The heart shape is nothing to do with romance (have you ever met chartered surveyors?!) but a precise pattern for maximising the sun onto the tower.
And it was truly awesome to take a spin around it.
The following day we drove to another solar farm MnS Group have surveyed, KaXu Solar One Farm. In fact it was officially opened just a couple of weeks before we visited.
It is incredibly hard to grasp the enormous scale of this 100MW plant.
It was nearly possible to watch the solar panels (each approx 8x150m) rotate as they followed the sun.
More technical details on KaXu are here.
Adjacent to KaXu Solar One is the new site, Xina Solar One, on which a similar sized farm is being constructed. The Environmental and Social plan by the African Development Bank is an interesting read. MnS Group have a couple of survey teams here and one of their chief surveyors kindly drove us around this enormous site explaining how the construction is developing.
The original ground cover is desert shrub land which is cleared, and then smoothed using these bulldozers.
Each parabolic panel sits on two precisely engineered struts which are set using this metal frame.
Drilling the hole.
These moulds fit the top of each concrete post. The metal rod is inserted, the concrete poured in and the moulds used to shape the top.
A series of dual-struts being fixed.
Hundreds and hundreds of them.
Ooh, look, surveyor.
Workers on top of the new processing plant. This is the hub of the plant controlling the collection and generation of the power.
We loved this door - I want one for work!
Accommodation for some of the project team. A pool and astroturf in the desert. Lush.
Team geomatics.
The following day we flew up the Orange River for sunset. Like you do. We were considering heading back when Martin suddenly said "oh wait, I recognise the road...KaXu is just over the hill..." and before we knew it we were flying over farm.
So we had an aerial tour of the solar farm. How absolutely amazing.
Now that's what I call a decent safari.
1 comment:
Hi
It is very interesting to see your bloggers always and it is keeping me updated .
I salute to your professionalism.
with regards
Navanath Raut AssocRICS,MIS
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