Privacy Policy

Last updated: 17/11/2025

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).

By using this website, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal information that you voluntarily provide through the contact form at the bottom of our website. This may include:

Your name
Email address
Any message or additional details you submit

We do not collect unnecessary information, nor do we collect data from cookies beyond basic website functionality unless stated otherwise.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information you provide solely for the purpose of:

Responding to your enquiry
Communicating with you about our services
Providing support or additional information you request

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on:

Your consent (when you submit the form)
Legitimate interests, namely our need to respond to your enquiry

4. How We Store and Protect Your Information

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to keep your information secure, including:

SSL encryption (HTTPS)
Secure servers and hosting
Restricted access to personal information
Regular updates and security checks on our website

Your information is only kept for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected.

5. Your Rights Under POPIA

Under the POPI Act, you have the right to:

Access your personal information
Request correction or deletion
Withdraw your consent
Object to the processing of your information
Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

6. Sharing of Information

Your information may be shared only with:

Our website hosting provider
Email service providers used to respond to you

These service providers are required to keep your information confidential and secure.

We do not transfer personal data outside South Africa unless it is adequately protected.

7. Cookies

Our website may use standard cookies for basic functionality or analytics.
We do not collect personal information through cookies unless you consent.

A simple cookie notice is displayed informing you of this.

8. Information Officer

In terms of POPIA, we have appointed an Information Officer responsible for data protection.

Information Officer: Donene Botha
Email: donene@phelangreen.com
Phone: 021 433 0366
Address: 47 Main Road, The Cape Royale, 1st Floor, Greenpoint, 8001

Registration with the Information Regulator is in progress / completed.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact:

Email: info@phelangreen.com
Phone: 021 433 0366
Address: 47 Main Road, The Cape Royale, 1st Floor, Greenpoint, 8001

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Healthy Mother – Healthy Baby Programme

In 2000, the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR) received an invitation from the Department of Health to conduct a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Prevalence Study in De Aar. During this study (2001 – 2003), it was reported that12,2% of the babies born in De Aar were affected by FASD. This firmly secured De Aar on the universal map as the town with the highest reported FASD rate in the world.

Since 2006, FARR has intensified its efforts to raise awareness in De Aar about the teratogenic effects of pre-natal alcohol use on the fetus and to motivate women of reproductive years to plan their pregnancies. This has culminated in FARR implementing their evidence based Healthy Mother Healthy Baby (HMHB) Programme.

This programme has been developed in line with the WHO and Department of Health’s Policies; the Department of Social Development’s Substance Abuse Strategy; and the National Millennium Development Goals. It was acknowledged by both departments, but the departments indicated that they do not have the knowledge, skills, or capacity to incorporate this initiative into their existing service delivery models.

In order to make it more sustainable, FARR initiated a review of the HMHB programme. As a result, a refined version of this programme has been developed, which renders it more cost and time effective, and increasingly user-friendly for the government departments. This revised model is presently being piloted in De Aar.

To date, the HBHM Programme has been extremely successful: it has resulted in a 30% drop in the incidence of FASD in De Aar. De Aar is consequently now also the first community in the world with a reduction in a FASD prevalence rate.

A lower incidence of FASD accordingly relates to a reduction of neonatal and infant mortality rates, as well as fewer children with developmental delays, mental retardation, and poor scholastic performance and behavioural problems. This thus leads to a community that is now able to socially and economically contribute to society. In addition, there is a strong emphasis on the development of the self-esteem of the mothers in the programme. As a result of the HMHB programme, mothers are better equipped to deal with children and babies who already have FAS, and learn the importance of the prevention thereof.

Through the REIPPPP, Solar Capital have been able to fund the Healthy Mother – Healthy Baby Programme for the past 2 years. Solar Capital is proud to announce that FARR and their HMHB programme have won various national and international awards, and offer therapeutic services that are not even available in SA in the private sector.

Government structures that have incorporated the HMHB programme into their service delivery models
FARR implemented a similar HMHB programme in Prince Alfred’s Hamlet (PAH) in the Western Cape from 2012 – 2014. During the three year project, training was given to practitioners within the Departments of Health and Social Development. At the end of the project, the Department of Health appointed one of the FARR Community Workers to continue the HMHB programme work from the PAH clinic. The health professionals are consequently using this programme as part of their antenatal service delivery at present, and the initial “FARR” Community worker is still in the service of the PAH Clinic.

FARR follows the training of health care professionals on all of their project sites as to develop their skills in terms of FASD Awareness and Prevention, and to encourage them to use the HMHB programme concepts in their daily service delivery. If you visit the Western Cape Department of Health’s website, you will find FASD information on the website that was obtained from FARR. Unfortunately the other provincial and national websites are very outdated and do not contain info about FASD, except International FASD Day (9 Sept).

NGO’s that have included FASD prevention in their programmes
Since their inception in 1997, FARR is the first NGO to raise awareness regarding FASD in SA. As a result of the publication of the first scientific articles about FARR’s research findings (1999 onwards), a number of FASD NGO’s have been established in the Western and Northern Cape Province.

Solar Capital have funded the Healthy Mother – Health Baby Programme over the past 2 years with donations of R 2.1 million.

Solar Capital Nominated For Prestigious International Business Award

March 2014: Solar Capital, a prominent solar energy producer in South Africa, has been nominated in the prestigious ‘The European Magazine’s 2014 Excellence Awards’ as Solar Company of the Year in Africa. The second annual Excellence Awards, which is set to take place in May this year, honours companies around the world that have been successful in facing global business challenges in their respective fields.

Paschal Phelan, President of Solar Capital, says that the company is honoured that their hard work in developing the solar energy market in South Africa has been recognised on an international level. “Now more than ever, South Africa needs to look at alternative solutions to our country’s major energy deficit. Investments in large-scale solar power projects will transform the African continent, where rising populations and six of the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies have resulted in ever growing energy deficits.”

Phelan says that following Eskom’s announcement that load shedding will continue throughout winter, a greater focus on renewable energy sources is essential to bolstering the country’s pressurised energy grid. The Department of Energy (DoE) has realised that in order to keep up with an ever growing demand for electricity, more needs to be done to develop alternative energy sources.

“The DoE’s plan, with the backing of the South African National Treasury, to develop an 18GW renewable energy programme over the next 20 years is well on its way to meeting this need,” he adds. “This commitment was further supported with the announcement of an additional R45 billion for the development of renewable energy sources, which was made by the National Treasury in the recent Budget Speech.”

Phelan says that in an effort to find alternative energy solutions to meet the growing demand in South Africa the company has worked closely with the DoE on the first phase of the installation of what will become the largest solar farm in the Southern Hemisphere.

The first phase of the Solar Capital De Aar Northern Cape project will generate enough electricity to power approximately 35 000 South African homes every year, with the intention of delivering the first 75MW of solar energy generated electricity into Eskom’s power grid. The company’s 94.5MW first phase project is the largest solar farm in South Africa and with the completion of the second phase in 2016, totaling a combined 200MW.

“Our aim is to put South Africa on its way to achieving the production of 3,725MW of renewable energy envisaged for 2030 by the Independent Resources Procurement Programme. With the strong focus on developing alternative energy solutions, we are fast becoming a serious contender within global renewable energy arena,” adds Phelan.

Solar Capital was also recognised as the Best Renewable Energy Company in Africa at the ‘The New Economy Sustainable Energy Awards 2013, which was held in December last year. Other winners at the awards included Eskom as the Best Energy Group in Africa.

SA Solar Energy Player Wins International Renewable Energy Award

19 February 2014: Solar Capital, a prominent solar energy producer in South Africa, has walked away with the prestigious Best Renewable Energy Company in Africa at the recently held ‘The New Economy Sustainable Energy Awards 2013. Other winners at the awards include Eskom as the Best Energy Group in Africa.

As the sustainable energy sector progresses into a period of encouraging growth, The New Economy Sustainable Energy Awards recognises the innovators and industry leaders who have bettered standards, performance and expectations around the world.

Albert Lennon, Chief Executive Officer of Solar Capital, says that the company is honoured that their hard work on the De Aar solar farm project has won this esteemed accolade. “In an effort to meet the major energy deficit the country currently faces, we have worked closely with the Department of Energy (DoE) on the first phase of the installation of a 200MW photovoltaic solar farm over two initial phases, with the capacity at the same location to increase to 400MW.”

This first phase of the Solar Capital De Aar project will generate enough electricity to power approximately 35 000 South African homes every year, with the intention of delivering the first 75MW of solar energy generated electricity into Eskom’s power grid. Our aim is to put South Africa on its way to achieving the production of 3,725MW of renewable energy envisaged for 2030 by the Independent Resources Procurement Programme.

As part of the company’s work within the De Aar community, they have made a commitment to create sustainable jobs, educate and equip the local community with skills. Approximately 10% of the income from the project will be invested in De Aar on local Social and Economic initiatives, which will amount to over R174 m in the first five years alone. Before the completion of the first phase, the company has already donated over R1 million to local initiatives to support the community.

“As the price of solar energy continues to drop, governments are fast realising that its benefits far outweigh traditional fossil fuel and nuclear energy sources. We are excited to be part of the shift towards renewable energies, and this award nomination is testament to our dedication and determination to provide a solar power solution to ensure the sustainability of the energy sector in South Africa,” says Lennon.

Solar Capital has also been nominated for the prestigious Solar Company of the Year in Africa at ‘The European Magazine’s 2014 Excellence Awards’, which will be held in May 2014.

Solar Energy Key To Combating Massive Energy Shortage In SA

10 February 2014: In a bid to avoid a massive energy shortage in South Africa, which has been brought on by significant expansion of the local economy and the rising cost of commodities, such as oil and coal; the South African Department of Energy (DoE) has turned to renewable energy sources as a solution. According to the UN Environment Programme, South Africa recorded $5.7bn in renewable energy investments in 2012 alone, particularly for solar power projects.

In 2009 and as part of its contribution to supporting a growing economy, the DoE announced plans to award the first licenses to independent power producers (IPP) by early 2011 to create clean energy projects, with additional licenses being awarded in 2012 and again through its third IPP Bid Round in 2013. Solar Capital, a local solar energy company, was the only company in South Africa to win tenders in both Bid Round 1 and Bid Round 2 to develop one of the largest solar farms in the world, which will be situated in De Aar.

Paschal Phelan, President of Solar Capital stated, “The investments in large-scale solar power projects will transform the African continent, where rising populations and six of the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies have resulted in ever growing energy deficits. The DoE has realised that in order to keep up with an ever growing demand for electricity, more needs to be done to develop alternative energy sources. Their plan, with the backing of the South African National Treasury, to develop an 18GW renewable energy programme over the next 20 years is well on its way to meeting this need.”

The majority of electricity in South Africa is currently generated from burning fossil fuel (with only one nuclear power plant in the Eskom fleet), with approximately 75% of all electricity in Southern Africa being generated from coal-burning power plants. The plan by the DoE, known as the South African Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), aims to find alternative forms of energy, particularly within the solar energy sector.

The potential for renewable energy generation is high and the successful execution of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP) has powered the growth of the country’s renewable energy industry. The REIPPP aims to generate 3,725MW of the country’s electricity from renewable sources. Renewable energy accounted for less than 1% of the energy mix in South Africa in 2012: it is expected to reach 12% in 2020.

The DoE’s commitment to grow the renewable energy market in South Africa extends beyond just increasing the supply of electricity to the country’s energy grid. A study by the Development Bank of Southern Africa and Economic Research Institute Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies supports the government’s ambitions, estimating the potential in the formal sector of the green economy at roughly 462,000 possible jobs by 2025.

The Solar Capital De Aar Northern Cape project is an example of the DoE’s commitment to revitalising and uplifting the communities in which their renewable energy initiatives are being implemented. A Community Trust has been formed, which will own 8% of the project and as significant shareholders in the project, will ensure dividends in excess of R350 million over the 20 year period. Through Solar Capital, a guaranteed 10% of the project’s income will go to the community’s social and economic initiatives, which will amount to over R46 million in the first five years alone. The company has also committed to spending R191 million of its total income on social-economic development and R76 million on enterprise development over the 20 year lifespan of the first phase of the project.

Janice Finlay, Head of Social Economic Development for Solar Capital says that the development of renewable energy sources creates new economic opportunities through job creation, improved education and various other social development programmes in the rural towns of South Africa. “We have exceeded the goal of meeting the DoE’s target of a minimum local employment on the initiative, with approximately 90% of the workforce coming from the local community. Of the 2000 employed by the Solar Capital project, over 90% are locals from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.”

Outside any commitment from the DoE, the company has also donated over R2 million to the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR), which is heavily involved in the De Aar community.

“The South African Government is now more than ever committed to embracing and developing the benefits that clean energy offers. As one of the biggest players within the solar energy sector, we are excited about the growth and positive impact that solar power is having on the country and communities we work in,” he concludes.

Power Solutions And Jobs Need To Be Top Of Budget Speech Agenda Says Paschal Phelan

February 2016: On Wednesday, 24 February 2016, the Minister of Finance will present Parliament with the top level plan for South Africa’s finances. As part of this year’s Budget Speech, both the private and public sectors will look to the Minister on his plans to deal with the country’s growing energy and employment challenges.

President Zuma in his State of the Nation address on 12 February 2016 elaborated on how progress has been made to stabilize the electricity supply in the last year, which included the investment of R194 billion in the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPP Programme).

According to Paschal Phelan, Chairman of Solar Capital, the DoE has shown its support to developing this sector through its REIPP Programme, which has been very successful in electricity generation and preventing further load shedding in South Africa. “However, the programme has not hit the achievable target of sustainable rural employment where most of the solar and wind projects are located.”

Paschal Phelan points out that growing the renewable energy sector in South Africa is a sensible solution to not only alleviating the energy problem, but also creating employment. “South Africa receives a constant source of sunlight, which provides high solar radiation levels. Let’s use this unending resource to not only harness power, but assist with unemployment in rural areas of South Africa.”

The REIPP Programme has provided South Africa with renewable electricity that is now at least half the cost of the coal power coming from Medupi and Kusile. Paschal Phelan believes it is now time to “have the horse pulling the cart, not pushing it.”

Paschal Phelan explains that the job of low cost solar electricity has been a remarkable success by the REIPP Programme. “However, sustainable success will only come from sustainable jobs. Solar Capital has done an extensive study to show that 1000MW can guarantee 3000 direct sustainable long term skilled solar green jobs and 2000 indirect jobs in supporting enterprises.”

Paschal Phelan says that these jobs can be centered in the disadvantaged local rural areas, where the developments are taking place. “In order to achieve this we will have to focus on the creation of these jobs rather than the dumbing down further of the energy price, where we have ‘hit and run’ foreign installers that can install at the cheapest price with no vision or understanding of the requirements of these rural communities.”

Paschal Phelan further explains that low economic growth at a national level in South Africa does not negate job creation opportunities in certain focused sectors, such as renewable energy. “Even without the support of economic growth, job creation should become a national treaty where every key stakeholder from our President down must publicly make a job commitment – where it is possible to measure the winners and losers at Budget time every year.”

Paschal Phelan points out that the world thought South Africa was an unlikely place for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. “However, the national spirit was focused and we delivered the greatest sporting and economic achievement of our generation. We now need our leaders to make the creation of jobs for our youth the top national priority and deliver this achievement, like the World Cup, with national pride.”

Another success of the REIPP Programmehas been the social and economic achievements as mandated by the DoE. Solar Capital has been at the forefront of these achievements with its programmes in the Northern Cape. An example is the Solar Capital 2015 Entrepreneurial Programme where, after an extensive nine-month course and competition, eight viable enterprises led by rural entrepreneurs were selected and are now being supported with business skills and financial aid to grow and develop these businesses further.The types of the successful enterprises range from local waste recycling to ostrich farming.

Under the larger Solar Capital Social and Enterprise Development Programme there are many ongoing projects. These extensive programmes have been led by Janice Finlay, Head of Economic Development at Solar Capital. She says that the company aims to create jobs, promote skills development, generate and nurture enterprise development, and create social stability through community development in De Aar.

She added that the Solar Capital funds a variety of much needed programmes including; a community leaders development programme, free wifi for the town of De Aar, as well as a large community training centre where there is a computer training laboratory, an arts training and exhibition centre. “90% of our employees are sourced from the local Emthanjeni Municipal District. We also plan to spend a further R24 million on economic development in this district by the end of 2016.”

The Minister of Energy, The Honourable Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson, is set to inaugurate the Solar Capital De Aar solar farm in the first quarter of 2016, which is the largest solar farm ever completed in the Southern Hemisphere, Africa and the Middle East Region. All power generated from this 175MW project will be exported into the national electricity grid. This farm employed over 2,000 local people at peak, and will now produce enough electricity to power approximately 75 000 South African homes every year.

-Ends-

Additional information:

About Paschal Phelan

Paschal Phelan is the founder and the Executive Chairman of the Phelan Energy Group Ltd. Its South Africa subsidiary, Solar Capital, is the largest privately owned photovoltaic developer in South Africa with a core vision for stewardship and responsibility for our environment.

Paschal Phelan a native of Ireland, initially worked in the banking sector in Sydney, Australia, before being appointed as the European Foreign Trade Director, for the Irish Government Food Export agency, based in Brussels. In the early 1980’s Paschal Phelan established, in Ireland, his own food manufacturing export company which went on to become one of the most innovative and successful Irish companies of that decade. After this Paschal Phelan went on to investing in various successful food related businesses in USA, UK and Russia.

Paschal Phelan intended to retire with his relocation to Cape Town in 2002, but shortly after his arrival he formed Phelan Holdings SA, where he realised that there was an opportunity within the energy sector to provide solutions to SA’s energy and employment challenges. Paschal Phelan subsequently created Solar Capital, which is currently launching the largest solar farm in the Southern Hemisphere, Africa and the Middle East region.

About Solar Capital

Solar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a subsidiary of Phelan Holdings (Pty) Ltd a prominent South African based International Investment and Development Company, with the vision to become a market leader in the production of solar energy in Southern Africa. Based in Cape Town, Solar Capital has built up a local and international proficiency in renewable energy, in order to realize its mission. With Southern Africa having some of the highest annual solar radiation levels in the world, Solar Capital has invested in real estate and technology with the potential to develop the continent’s most valuable energy source – the sun.

Visit www.solarcapital.co.za for more information.

Solar Power – Most Affordable Source Of Energy In SA Says Paschal Phelan

March 2016: In the Budget Speech on 24 February 2016, the Honourable Mr Pravin Gordhan, Finance Minister of South Africa, announced that the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Independent Power Producers Procurement (IPPP) Programme will be extended to include coal and gas power projects.

According to Paschal Phelan, Chairman of Solar Capital, the IPPP Programme will be rolled out in order to replicate the successes achieved in the South African renewable energy sector. “Although the replication in other sectors will allow for further energy to be produced, a focus on solar power would allow for the supply of energy at a massively reduced rate.”

Paschal Phelan explains that not only is solar energy readily and freely available, but the cost of solar technology (internationally and locally) has come down substantially in the last few years. “Internationally, the price has reduced as a result of technological innovation, the manufacturing learning rate, economies of scale and further competition.”

Paschal Phelan points out that, locally, the solar industry is relatively new. “The growth of a number of technology suppliers in the last few years has fostered a competitive environment in manufacturing and production of local solar technologies, as well as competitive installation rates.”

The Renewable Energy IPPP Programme (REIPP Programme) was designed to contribute towards the2010 Integrated Resource Plan(IRP) target of providing 17 800 MW of renewable power generation capacity to the electricity grid by 2030. More than 2 292MW of solar powered energy projects have been awarded preferred bidder status to date.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the running costs of Medupi and Kusile, when taking into account externalities such as the cost of water usage and CO2 emissions, are approximately R2.35 and R1.94 per kWh. In comparison solar power in South Africa can now be produced at a cost of under R0.70.

Additionally, the latest construction cost estimates for the Medupi and Kusile coal stations went from R149 billion to R326 billion ($12.1bn to $26.3bn). Paschal Phelan says that not only do these costs have a negative effect on our struggling economy, but the stations will need to be powered by coal – thus bringing into question their impact on the environment over the long-term.

On 01 March 2016, a9.4% tariff increase was granted to Eskom. Paschal Phelan explains that this rising cost of electricity is needed in order to meet the interest of capital costs of building new facilities and the cost of coal, among other things. “Instead, South Africa should rather invest in the expansion of renewable energy, in particular solar, which provides energy at a substantially lower cost to coal. This solar price is also fixed for a period of 20 years making the cost saving consistent and predictable. This cost saving would in turn assist in preventing the increase of Eskom tariffs in the future.”

Paschal Phelan also points out that solar farms are commercially viable facilities funded by local banks and foreign direct investment and, unlike Eskom, do not need government funding and guarantees. “It needs to be a priority in South Africa that we continue the investment in this source of abundantly free, green, sustainable energy.”

The Minister of Energy, The Honourable Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson, is set to inaugurate the Solar Capital De Aar solar farm in the first quarter of 2016, which is the largest solar farm ever completed in the Southern Hemisphere, Africa and the Middle East Region. The power generated from this 175 MW facility, will produce enough electricity to power approximately 75 000 South African homes every year.

-Ends-

Additional information:

About Paschal Phelan

Paschal Phelan is the founder and the Executive Chairman of the Phelan Energy Group Ltd. Its South Africa subsidiary, Solar Capital, is the largest privately owned photovoltaic developer in South Africa with a core vision for stewardship and responsibility for our environment.

Paschal Phelan a native of Ireland, initially worked in the banking sector in Sydney, Australia, before being appointed as the European Foreign Trade Director, for the Irish Government Food Export agency, based in Brussels. In the early 1980’s he established, in Ireland, his own food manufacturing export company which went on to become one of the most innovative and successful Irish companies of that decade. After this Paschal Phealn went on to investing in various successful food related businesses in USA, UK and Russia.

Paschal Phelan intended to retire with his relocation to Cape Town in 2002, but shortly after his arrival he formed Phelan Holdings SA, where he realised that there was an opportunity within the energy sector to provide solutions to SA’s energy and employment challenges. Paschal Phelan subsequently created Solar Capital, which is currently launching the largest solar farm in the Southern Hemisphere, Africa and the Middle East region.

About Solar Capital

Solar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a subsidiary of Phelan Holdings (Pty) Ltd a prominent South African based International Investment and Development Company, with the vision to become a market leader in the production of solar energy in Southern Africa. Based in Cape Town, Solar Capital has built up a local and international proficiency in renewable energy, in order to realize its mission. With Southern Africa having some of the highest annual solar radiation levels in the world, Solar Capital has invested in real estate and technology with the potential to develop the continent’s most valuable energy source – the sun.

Visit www.solarcapital.co.za for more information.

Largest Solar Farm In Southern Hemisphere Launches In De Aar

March 2016: Today, The Honourable Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson, Minister of Energy, inaugurated the 175MW Solar Capital facility based in De Aar, Northern Cape – making it the largest solar farm ever completed in the Southern Hemisphere, Africa and the Middle East region.

This launch of the facility is the culmination of a two-phase project. The first phase has a capacity of 85MW and the second phase an even larger capacity of 90MW. In total the facility is 473ha, consists of 503 942 modules and took a mere 28 months to construct. The amount invested in the project totaled R2.2 billion and R2.6 billion for the first and second phase respectively – making an overall investment of R4.8 billion in the development of the facility.

According to Joematt-Pettersson, sub-Saharan Africa has seen tremendous economic growth and its energy consumption has risen by 45% since 2000. “Many governments are now intensifying their efforts to tackle the numerous regulatory and political barriers that are holding back investment in domestic energy supply, and inadequate energy infrastructure puts a brake on urgently needed improvements in living standards.”

The Department of Energy (DoE) has worked hard to solve the energy shortage in South Africa through its Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement (REIPPP) Programme. This programme allows for foreign investment in renewable energy farms, and has enabled the establishment of various renewable energy facilities which assist in providing the grid with electricity, such as Solar Capital De Aar’s 175MW farm.

Paschal Phelan, Chairman of Solar Capital, says that the launch of the facility is an important example of how solar power can assist in solving the current energy crisis in South Africa. “The Northern Cape of South Africa has some of the highest irradiation levels in the world, with the location of this facility boasting 2168kWh/m². This allows the abundant sunlight in the region to be converted into green energy to be transferred to the national energy grid,” says Paschal Phelan.

Paschal Phelan explains that South Africa as a whole will benefit from the facility, as all power generated from the project will be exported into the national electricity grid. “The electricity produced will be able to power approximately 75 000 South African homes every year,” says Paschal Phelan.

Paschal Phelan adds that, with the introduction of lithium batteries in the near future, power will not only be transferred during the day, but can also be provided at night when it is most needed.

Solar Capital has also invested in long-term economic development in and around De Aar. Phelan points out that the De Aar project has had positive economic effects in the local area. The facility employed over 2,000 local people at peak and currently employs approximately 100 people for operations and maintenance.

Paschal Phelan says that by the end of 2016 more than R24 million will be spent on economic development in projects, such asa community leaders development programme, free Wi-Fi for the town of De Aar, a large community training centre that houses a computer training laboratory, as well as an arts training and exhibition centre.

“The launch of the solar farm is not only a success in its own right, but also allows for the opportunity to spread the message of solar success. It has no mechanical parts, it has minimal operation costs, no emissions, no water usage and it is safe. It needs to be a priority in South Africa that we continue the investment in this source of abundantly free, green, sustainable energy,” concludes Paschal Phelan.

-Ends-

Additional information:

About Paschal Phelan

Paschal Phelan is the founder and the Executive Chairman of the Phelan Energy Group Ltd. Its South Africa subsidiary, Solar Capital, is the largest privately owned photovoltaic developer in South Africa with a core vision for stewardship and responsibility for our environment.

Paschal Phelan a native of Ireland, initially worked in the banking sector in Sydney, Australia, before being appointed as the European Foreign Trade Director, for the Irish Government Food Export agency, based in Brussels. In the early 1980’s he established, in Ireland, his own food manufacturing export company which went on to become one of the most innovative and successful Irish companies of that decade. After this Paschal Phelan went on to investing in various successful food related businesses in USA, UK and Russia.

Paschal Phelan intended to retire with his relocation to Cape Town in 2002, but shortly after his arrival he formed Phelan Holdings SA, where he realised that there was an opportunity within the energy sector to provide solutions to SA’s energy and employment challenges. Paschal Phelan subsequently created Solar Capital, which is currently launching the largest solar farm in the Southern Hemisphere, Africa and the Middle East region.

About Solar Capital

Solar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a subsidiary of Phelan Holdings (Pty) Ltd a prominent South African based International Investment and Development Company, with the vision to become a market leader in the production of solar energy in Southern Africa. Based in Cape Town, Solar Capital has built up a local and international proficiency in renewable energy, in order to realize its mission. With Southern Africa having some of the highest annual solar radiation levels in the world, Solar Capital has invested in real estate and technology with the potential to develop the continent’s most valuable energy source – the sun.

Visit www.solarcapital.co.za for more information.

Wind and Solar Are Crushing Fossil Fuels

Article by: Tom Randall
Read the full article here

Record clean energy investment outpaces gas and coal 2 to 1.

Wind and solar have grown seemingly unstoppable.

While two years of crashing prices for oil, natural gas, and coal triggered dramatic downsizing in those industries, renewables have been thriving. Clean energy investment broke new records in 2015 and is now seeing twice as much global funding as fossil fuels.

One reason is that renewable energy is becoming ever cheaper to produce. Recent solar and wind auctions in Mexico and Morocco ended with winning bids from companies that promised to produce electricity at the cheapest rate, from any source, anywhere in the world, said Michael Liebreich, chairman of the advisory board for Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).

“We’re in a low-cost-of-oil environment for the foreseeable future,” Liebreich said during his keynote address at the BNEF Summit in New York on Tuesday. “Did that stop renewable energy investment? Not at all.”

Government subsidies have helped wind and solar get a foothold in global power markets, but economies of scale are the true driver of falling prices: The cost of solar power has fallen to 1/150th of its level in the 1970s, while the total amount of installed solar has soared 115,000-fold.

The reason solar-power generation will increasingly dominate: It’s a technology, not a fuel. As such, efficiency increases and prices fall as time goes on. What’s more, the price of batteries to store solar power when the sun isn’t shining is falling in a similarly stunning arc.

Just since 2000, the amount of global electricity produced by solar power has doubled seven times over. Even wind power, which was already established, doubled four times over the same period. For the first time, the two forms of renewable energy are beginning to compete head-to-head on price and annual investment.

Meanwhile, fossil fuels have been getting killed by falling prices and, more recently, declining investment. It started with coal—it used to be that lower prices increased demand for fossil fuels, but coal prices apparently can’t fall fast enough. Richer OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries have been reducing demand for almost a decade. In China, coal power has also flattened. Only developing countries with rapidly expanding energy demands are still adding coal, though at a slowing rate.

What does that look like on a country-level basis? The world’s first coal superpower, the U.K., now produces less power from coal than it has since at least 1850.

More recently it’s the oil and gas industry that’s been under attack. Prices have tumbled and investments have started drying up. The number of oil rigs active in the U.S. fell last month to the lowest since records began in the 1940s. Producers—from tiny frontier drillers to massive petrol-producing nation-states—are creeping ever closer to insolvency.

“What we’re talking about is miscalculation of risk,” said BNEF’s Liebreich. “We’re talking about a business model that is predicated on never-ending growth, a business model that is predicated on being able to find unlimited supplies of capital.”

The chart below shows independent oil producers and their ability to pay their debt.1 The pink quadrant at the bottom right represents the greatest threat to a company’s solvency. By 2015, that quadrant starts to fill up, and Liebreich warned, “It’s going to get uglier.”

Oil and gas woes are driven less by renewables than by a mismatch of too much supply and too little demand. But with renewable energy expanding at record rates and with more efficient cars—including all-electric vehicles—siphoning off oil profits at the margins, the fossil-fuel insolvency zone is only going to get more crowded, according to BNEF. Natural gas will still be needed for when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing, but even that will change as utility-scale batteries grow cheaper.

The best minds in energy keep underestimating what solar and wind can do. Since 2000, the International Energy Agency has raised its long-term solar forecast 14 times and its wind forecast five times. Every time global wind power doubles, there’s a 19 percent drop in cost, according to BNEF, and every time solar power doubles, costs fall 24 percent.

And while BNEF says the shift to renewable energy isn’t happening fast enough to avoid the catastrophic legacy of fossil-fuel dependence—climate change—it’s definitely happening.

The Value Of Investing In Renewable Energy According To Paschal Phelan

April 2016: Thesuccess of the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement (REIPPP) Programme is a shining example of South Africa’s ability to undertake large infrastructure programmes to boost the local economy despite the current period of slow growth internationally. This public-private partnership programme has allowed for energy growth and successful private investment, which contrastswith a number of other international renewable energy programmes that have faced difficulties and setbacks.

According to Paschal Phelan, Chairman of Solar Capital, the renewable energy developers involved in the REIPPP Programme have funded their facilities largely through independently sourced international investors and local banks making these projects viable in the SA market. “About R47bn of the programmes awarded bidder status reached financial close in the first roundand R28bn in the second round of the REIPPP Programme.”

A recent Investec report on renewable energy pointed out that, in terms of contribution to South Africa’s gross fixed capital formation, the first and second round of successful REIPPP bidders accounted for 12.7% and 7.1% of private sector fixed investment respectively. “This investment allows for further energy creation and thus enables an environment which will positively contribute to improving growth of the currently constrained GDP (at approximately 3.5%) in South Africa,” explains Paschal Phelan.

In comparison, the building of coal stations such as Eskom’s Medupi and Kusile required government funding and guarantees. In early 2015, Energy Analyst Chris Yelland said the interest bill for Medupi and Kusile amounted to R29.2bn and R48.7bn respectively. “The fact that the projects are running years behind schedule also means that this contributes to the countries confined GDP growth, as described above,” adds Paschal Phelan.

The amount invested in the Solar Capital De Aar project totaled R2.2 billion for the first phase and R2.6 billion for the second phase – making an overall investment of R4.8 billion in the development of the facility. Although this involved considerable startup costs, Solar Capital is budgeting for a five-year payback term.

Paschal Phelan says that it is important to note that the Department of Energy (DoE) is currently taking firm steps to improve financial energy investment models in South Africa. “In the Budget Speech on 24 February 2016, the HonourableMr Pravin Gordhan, Finance Minister of South Africa, announced that the REIPPP Programme will be extended to include coal and gas power projects. This is a logical way forward in terms of investment, but is likely not the fastest way to provide further energy to South Africa.”

When building its 175MW solar facility in De Aar, Solar Capital mounted 9000 panels in one day. The farm itself was efficiently constructed in 28 months (inclusive of both phase 1 and 2 of the project). Not only will this allow power to be supplied to 75 000 homes per year, but with the upcoming investment in back-up power storage Solar Capital will be able to feed stored electricity into the grid between the 07h30 and 09h00 morning peak demand.

Paschal Phelan says that coal powered stations have traditionally been built to deliver more electricity than solar power. “Eskom reports that Medupi and Kusile will have a capacity of 4 800MW each. However, the DoE is invested in providing a well-thought-out electricity mix to the country and, as such, announced in October last year its intention to create a 1 500MW solar facility in the Northern Cape.”

According to Frost & Sullivan, the running costs of Medupi and Kusile, when taking into account externalities such as the cost of water usage and CO2 emissions, are approximately R2.35 and R1.94 per kWh. In comparison solar power in South Africa can now be produced at a cost of under R0.70.

Paschal Phelan explains that the global electricity produced by solar power has doubled seven times over since 2000. “Part of the reason for this is that solar is not a fuel, but a technology. Owing to economies of scale and increasing efficiency, prices of solar technology and supply continue to fall, as does the price of batteries for energy storage. As a result, the need for fossil fuels is falling internationally. It is only developing countries like South Africa that are still adding coal to the energy mix, more as a result of a rapid demand for further energy supply.”

“Investing in solar power makes sense. It has minimal operation costs, it is environmentally friendly and the source of energy is abundantly free, green and sustainable. It is the way the world is moving and South Africa is fast becoming a leading force in renewable energy programmes,” concludes Phelan.

-Ends-

Additional information:

About Paschal Phelan

Paschal Phelan is the founder and the Executive Chairman of the Phelan Energy Group Ltd. Its South Africa subsidiary, Solar Capital, is the largest privately owned photovoltaic developer in South Africa with a core vision for stewardship and responsibility for our environment.

Paschal Phelan a native of Ireland, initially worked in the banking sector in Sydney, Australia, before being appointed as the European Foreign Trade Director, for the Irish Government Food Export agency, based in Brussels. In the early 1980’s he established, in Ireland, his own food manufacturing export company which went on to become one of the most innovative and successful Irish companies of that decade. After this Paschal Phelan went on to investing in various successful food related businesses in USA, UK and Russia.

Paschal Phelan intended to retire with his relocation to Cape Town in 2002, but shortly after his arrival he formed Phelan Holdings SA, where he realised that there was an opportunity within the energy sector to provide solutions to SA’s energy and employment challenges. Paschal Phelan subsequently created Solar Capital, which is currently launching the largest solar farm in the Southern Hemisphere, Africa and the Middle East region.

About Solar Capital

Solar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a subsidiary of Phelan Energy Group Ltda prominent South African based International Investment and Development Company, with the vision to become a market leader in the production of solar energy in Southern Africa. Based in Cape Town, Solar Capital has built up a local and international proficiency in renewable energy, in order to realize its mission. With Southern Africa having some of the highest annual solar radiation levels in the world, Solar Capital has invested in real estate and technology with the potential to develop the continent’s most valuable energy source – the sun.

Visit www.solarcapital.co.za for more information.

Adwea pre-qualifies 48 firms to set up 350 megawatt solar photovoltaic plant

Article by: Haseeb Haider
Read the full article: here

Over 90 companies originally showed interest to Adwea’s request for an Expression of Interest or EOI

Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority, or Adwea, have pre-qualified 48 companies for the setting up of 350 megawatt Solar Photovoltaic (PV) electricity plant in Sweihan, 125 km east of Abu Dhabi in the Eastern Region.

These companies would be taking part in a process in which a developer or a consortium will be selected to own up to 40 per cent of a project company which will set up the plant. The remaining 60 per cent equity will be held, directly or indirectly, by Adwea.

The project will comprise the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of a green field renewable power generation plant of 350 MW of power generation capacity, together with associated infrastructure.

Over 90 companies originally showed interest to Adwea’s request for an Expression of Interest or EOI, of which 48 companies subsequently submitted their Statement of Qualifications, in accordance with a Request for Qualification sent on 10 March 2016.

Following a comprehensive review process carried out by the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Company 34 companies including local companies have now been selected as Pre-qualified Parties who have received a detailed Request for Proposal or RFP.

Of these eight have been Pre-qualified on a sole stand-alone basis, or as part of an already formed consortium, and are free to submit a Proposal on such basis without the need to form or join a consortium.

The remaining 26 companies have been Pre-qualified on a conditional basis and have been advised to join, or form a consortium within 28 days.

The deadline for bid submission has been set in the RFP for 19 September 2016.

The Pre-qualified Bidders selected are as follows: Acciona / Swicorp (as consortium), Acme, ACWA Power, Adani, Alfanar / Building Energy (as consortium), Canadian Solar, China State Construction Engineering Corporation, EDF Energies Nouvelles, Elecnor, Enel, Engie, Equis, First Solar, Fotowatio FRV, Golden Concord Holdings / PAL Technology (as consortium).

Other selected firms and consortiums include Hindustan Clean Energy, Intecsa / Cobra (as consortium), JGC, Jinko Solar, Kepco / GS Engineering & Construction / Hanwha Q Cells (as consortium), Mainstream, Marubeni, Masdar, Mitsui, Phelan Energy Group, ReNew Solar Power / Japan Renewable Energy (as consortium), RWE / Belectric (as consortium), Sojitz, Solar Reserve , Spectrum / Maessa / Leighton Contracting (as consortium), Stumpf / MENA Infrastructure Fund (as consortium), Tenaga, Total / Sunpower (as consortium),TSK.

Adwea’s chairman, Shaikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed said that “this Project will support the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s achievements in sustainability and energy diversification through the use of renewable and clean energy”.

Adwea’s director general, Faris Obaid Al Dhaheri indicated that Adwea will continue its leadership role in relation to sustainability and in supporting renewable energy.

In addition to the generation of 350 MW of renewable energy, the quantity of gas to generate power using conventional means will be reduced, which will improve upon the economic performance of the water and electricity sector, said ADWEC’s managing director, Mohammed Bin Jarsh.

– haseeb@khaleejtimes.com

Paschal Phelan: Solar Energy Entrepreneur

Last week another 90MW of solar-generated electricity officially started feeding into the national grid. It marked a triumph for Paschal Phelan, an Irishman who has played a pivotal role in putting solar power on the SA energy map.

Paschal Phelan’s mission began in 2010, when the department of energy called for tenders in round one of its independent power producer (IPP) programme. “Solar power was not included,” says Phelan.

Intense lobbying, including an appeal by Paschal Phelan to the finance minister, won the day. His reward was that Phelan Energy Group’s SA unit, Solar Capital, won a contract to supply 86MW of solar photovoltaic-generated electricity to Eskom. Paschal Phelan’s vision became a reality in 2014, when Solar Capital’s photovoltaic (PV) solar project on a 2,674ha farm near the Karoo town of De Aar began feeding 85MW into the grid.

The same farm is the site of the latest completed PV project, secured in round two of the IPP programme.

Producing a total of 175MW, the R4.8bn De Aar solar PV complex is impressive, covering about 540ha and harnessing 600,000 PV reflectors. “It the largest solar PV plant in the southern hemisphere and the fifth-largest in the world,” says Paschal Phelan. Phelan is just getting into his stride. “We have 2,000MW of power projects in our SA pipeline,” Phelan says. “We are alsolooking at projects in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Oman.”

Paschal Phelan has no doubt that PV solar power has earned a prominent place in the renewable energy space. “Costs are falling fast,” Phelan says. “Solar power cost R3.94/kWh in 2010. It now costs under 70c/kWh.” Though wind-generated energy has a 10% cost edge over solar PV, Paschal Phelan feels this benefit is countered by other factors. “Wind is not predictable,” he argues. “There are also objectionable visual and noise aspects to wind farms.”

For 66-year-old Paschal Phelan the path to solar power has been a long and unlikely one. “I left school with a basic education and went to work for the Bank of New South Wales in Australia,” Phelan says.
Paschal Phelan loved the climate but not the distance from home, and four years later returned to Ireland to work on a government project to promote beef exports. “It was a mess,” says Paschal Phelan. “Meat was being exported as carcasses in a container.”

He put forward the idea of exporting packaged, deboned beef. It won Phelan the backing of the Irish Industrial Development Authority to go it alone. Paschal Phelan went on to build a giant beef export business and make his fortune.

Paschal Phelan had put the beef industry behind him when he moved to SA in 2002. But on an equally grand scale he bought and demolished the Claridges Hotel in Cape Town’s Green Point and built the luxury Cape Royale Hotel in its place.

Phelan soon also acquired a game farm near Ceres on the Karoo border. It was there that alternative energy grabbed his entrepreneurial attention. Having dismissed wind power as “too complex”, he threw his weight behind solar PV.

As before, Paschal Phelan thought big, assembling a team of 75 people to manage projects and hone PV technology. Phelan’s big thinking did not stop there. He believes alternative energy plants must create permanent jobs for young people. “It is my core passion, as it was in the Irish meat industry,” says Paschal Phelan.

Are SA businesses doing enough to give back asks Paschal Phelan?

Are businesses doing enough to give back to the communities in which they work? This has been a question that many South African companies have faced since Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programmes became more widespread and formalised in the country.The answers haven’t always been favourable. The findings of Anglo American’s R100m investment into education between 2010 and 2014 are a great example of how CSI programmes can be ineffective in reaching set objectives .

This is according to Paschal Phelan, Chairman of Solar Capital – developers of the largest solar farm in the Southern Hemisphere – who says that the success of a company is not simply down to intelligent business models, but that it also relates to meaningful interaction within the community affected by the business, as well as investment into sustainable, developmental projects with positive long-term effects. “Too many companies’ CSI programmes remain on the periphery of their business objectives, often with a token expenditure of 1% of net profit after tax being spent in order to obtain points on their BBBEE scorecard,” says Paschal Phelan.

Paschal Phelan adds that effective CSI is not only a philanthropical external act with no positive repercussions for the company involved. “CSI starts with the internal culture of employee advancement where employees are given the potential to excel in their positions, and add greater value in the workplace.”

Similarly, if a company invests in providing training and health care, and improving family stability, and various other socio-economic issues in the community from which their employees come, this will give access to a more productive workforce.Paschal Phelan points out that it also assists in preventing labour issues as a result of not only providing local jobs, but further developmental support for the community at large.

Using Solar Capital’s community driven programmes as an example, Paschal Phelan says that the company has managed to ensure that solid relationships are continually being developed and fostered with the De Aar community in which its solar farms operate. “Employees involved in economic development on the ground in De Aar are part of, and work within, the local community. They are fully aware of local concerns and work with the larger Solar Capital team on finding long-term solutions to various socio-economic issues.”

Paschal Phelan says that discussions with affected communities, employees and local authorities are imperative in order to jointly decide on what the needs of the community truly are, and how these concerns will be met.

“One of the main reasons that well-meaning developmental projects fail is as a result of their ad-hoc responses to community problems,” Paschal Phelan says.“A visible example of such a project in De Aar is that of a soccer field created for the impoverish De Aar East neighbourhood. A private company built a fenced in soccer field with stands and goal posts in order to encourage physical recreation. Unfortunately, it is apparent that little thought was given to who would maintain these grounds – which have now been left abandoned and are falling into a state of disrepair” explains Paschal Phelan.

Paschal Phelan says that the solar company’s mission in De Aar is to create jobs, educate, generate and nurture enterprise generation and growth, as well as further advance social stability through community development. “This audacious aim is achievable as a result of Solar Capital’s long-term commitment to the community of De Aar.”

Current projects run by Solar Capital include: a two-year Community Development Worker Programme developed and certified by the University of Stellenbosch; an Enterprise Development Programme developed and administered by the University of the Free State; computer skills training at the high tech computer centre; funding of an arts centre; provision of free Wi-Fi access at 14 hotspots in and around town; funding of the Healthy Mother Healthy Baby Programme run by the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research; among others. More than R24 million will have been spent on economic development programmes in the area between 2014 and the end of 2016.

Paschal Phelan says that part of the mandate underpinning each of these programmes is that local community members are, or will be trained, to run and take responsibility for them.“A good example of this would be the handing over of IT training at the Solar Capital Community Centre to two participants in the Community Development Workers (CDW) Programme. Janet Matthee (22) and Chardin Booysen (21) were sent on an eSkills course at the Vaal University of Technology. Both graduated on 21 May 2016 and have been employed as IT Facilitators.”

Paschal Phelan says that companies thinking of implementing sustainable CSI programmes need to ensure that they build a strong economic base completely independent from the company itself in order to economically sustain further community members.

Research conducted by Solar Capital in late 2015 showed that the Emthanjeni Municipality was experiencing a decline in economic and entrepreneurial activities. The Enterprise Development Programme was created in order to rectify this need. 16 entrepreneurs graduated from this nine-month programme and the top eight received funding to purchase income generating assets to start their business. Continuous mentorship ensures that someone is always on hand to assist these industrious individuals.

Paschal Phelan points out that as a solar energy company, their mandate to give back is supported by the government as well. “When bidding for preferred status in the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement (REIPPP) Programme, the developer must commit to investing a certain percentage of the revenue to Economic Development in the local area.”

“To create successful and sustainable CSI programmes you have to know your community, consult closely with them, plan ahead and think long-term. Similar to solar which creates energy from a natural resource – the sun, economically and socially empowered individuals and communities are created through well thought out CSI”, concludes Paschal Phelan.

Solar power – the green and clean energy we need in SA according to Paschal Phelan

I was raised by a single mother in De Aar during the 80s and 90s and was devastated when she passed away when I was 9. Luckily for me, I was taken in by a local family who assisted me in finishing my matric. After school, without any funds for further studies, I remained unemployed for a year and so decided to move to Ocean View, Cape Town in order to find work.

My life in the densely populated, crime and drug riddled community of Ocean View was not easy for me. I dreamed of becoming a successful artist, but without any formal training, and not much access to materials needed for my art, I lived an unsettled life for the next 10 years.

In the past when I couldn’t afford certain things, I drew pencil sketches for people in return for items I needed. I would draw a picture for a friend and ask for their pencil or pen in return. Then in 2002 my art became more ‘serious’ as I met an artist in Cape Town by the name of Charisse Gardiner who became my teacher.After this I started producing not only sketches, but also paintings and other art works.

Fate brought me back to De Aar for a few days in 2015 where I learned about the Community Development Workers Programme. Instead of then moving to Bloemfontein as I had planned, I decided to stay in De Aar to join and learn from this valuable programme.

The CDW Programme has helped me to understand my emotions. It has made me realise that it is not only me who had a difficult life, but that others went through similar things. I had certain questions about why I suffered like I did and unresolved issues about my experiences which I have now managed to work through. I now see life with a totally different view.

Everyone in the CDW class was asked to share their own experiences and I learned about how this influenced their life decisions. I now know how to approach our community and to deal with certain situations involving relationships with partners and family for example.

As I grew up without a father, I want to invest in young people from unstable homes. I have experienced what can happen in life if you make the wrong choices, andI want to share what I have learnt with the kids. I want to be a mentor to youth that need it.

A group of the CDW’s are planning a young leadership campaign with local schools. I want to take a similar programme to the community through my church, but integrate art into the programme. I want to assist the youth with growing emotionally through art. A picture plays an important part in a child’s mind. They learn very fast when they see things. They capture images and store these away. Through expressing their ideas and memories in art, they can release the negative things they experienced in life and so allow a new space for positive development.

I have named this course the Mustard Seed because everything starts with a seed, but by the end of it you can benefit from the fruits of your labour.

Solar power – the green and clean energy we need in SA according to Paschal Phelan

The aphorism ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’ is associated with the idea that improvements in the general economy will benefit all participants in that economy. It is especially relevant in terms of Renewable Energy (RE) and the youth it empowers through socio-economic upliftment intiatives. Take 21-year-old Chardin Booysen, for example.

Born and raised in the northern Karoo town of De Aar, Chardin experienced what many matriculants are subject to: Little prospect of further education, and no jobs to secure their economic livelihood. Where many young people would flounder – substance abuse, child neglect, crime and a host of other social ills plaguing previously disadvantaged communities throughout the country – Chardin was fortuitously drawn into the Community Development Workers (CDW) Programme funded by Solar Capital.

CDWs are public servants whose purpose is to strengthen the coordination between services provided by Government and access to these services by previously disadvantaged communities. “There are many CDWs serving the Emthanjeni Municipality where I live. We have meetings once a week and, on average, 24 people from the community, young and old, are in attendance. The meetings are co-faciliated by myself and my colleague Janet Matthee; to a degree, you can call it group therapy. As you can imagine, many issues arise, and where necessary we refer cases to social workers or psycohologists – people who are more skilled or qualified than us to be of assistance.On a personal level the programme also aims to boost the self-confidence of the participants involved, as well as assist them in developing sought after workplace skills.”

Having been a CDW since the start of 2015 – “it feels wonderful to be able to serve my community in this manner” – Chardin’s own growth in confidence and progress serve as a shining example.

“I got to know the staff at Solar Capital quite well, including Abner Wagenaar, the Local Economic Development Manager at Solar Capital. Abner called me to see if I was interested in becoming an IT facilitator at the Solar Capital Community Centre in De Aar. Because I had taken IT at school through to matric, this was a great opportunity for me.”

Him and Janet, 23, originally chosen to become facilitators because of their leadership skills, were offered a month-long online computer and IT literacy training course through Vaal University of Technology.

“We completed this course and are now assisting anyone who comes to the Community Centre with any challenges they may have with using the computers or free Wifi at the centre.I can help people learn, improve their grades at school, and use the Internet to be creative, start their own initiatives or find jobs for themselves. It’s very satisfying.

“Doing the CDW training as well as the course made me look at the world differently. It taught me that you can’t just wait for your circumstances to change, you have to get out there and make opportunities work for you.

“I also learnt a lot about myself and developed a greater sense of self-worth. I was shy before this and didn’t enjoy discussing issues with strangers, but through this programme I learnt how to express myself and open up to people.I now know I’m capable of not only changing my own circumstances, but also helping other people. All circumstances are changeable. Don’t let yourselves drown in them. There is always hope.”

How does he view the future of South African youth?

“I think there is hope through education. Many young people I know just sit at home and don’t even go to school, they use drugs and they rob people. Young people must first finish school to enable themselves to get into the working world, but they must also open up their minds to further information available to them on the Internet. You can learn just about anything online, including doing online tertiary courses, if you are given this opportunity. By being exposed to different viewpoints you are able to learn and improve your own life and be happier than you were before. Our youth need to learn that success is not easy, you need to work for it. If they are guided in the right direction, this generation will be able to achieve a lot more than they believe they are capable of.”

Solar power – the green and clean energy we need in SA according to Paschal Phelan

The environmental change sweeping our world is happening at a rate far faster than previously imagined, concluded the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6) study carried out by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) this year.

With a focus on protecting the environment during World Environment Day, 01 June 2016, the move towards the provision of renewable energy through the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) Programme has been lauded for assisting in the reversion of the worst impacts of climate change, as recognised by the UNEP.

According to Paschal Phelan, Chairman of Solar Capital, renewable energy in general, and solar power specifically, allows for a reduction in the reliance on fossil fuels – while also providing a far superior option in terms of protecting the environment. “The production of solar energy has minimal CO² emissions, little water usage, is inexhaustible, and it is safe,” says Paschal Phelan.

Paschal Phelan explains that global electricity produced by solar power has doubled seven times over since 2000. “Part of the reason for this is that solar is not a fuel, but a technology. Owing to economies of scale and increasing efficiency, prices of solar technology and supply continue to fall, as does the price of batteries for energy storage. As a result, the need for fossil fuels is falling internationally. It is only developing countries like South Africa that are still adding coal to the energy mix, more as a result of a rapid demand for further energy supply.”

Paschal Phelan adds that not only is solar energy readily and freely available, but the cost of solar technology (internationally and locally) has come down substantially in the last few years. “Internationally, the price has reduced as a result of technological innovation, the manufacturing learning rate, economies of scale and further competition.”

Paschal Phelan also points out that solar farms are commercially viable facilities funded by local banks and foreign direct investment and, unlike Eskom, do not need government funding and guarantees. “It needs to be a priority in South Africa that we continue the investment in this source of abundantly free, green, sustainable energy.”

“Investing in solar power makes sense. It is the way the world is moving and South Africa is fast becoming a leading force in renewable energy programmes,” says Paschal Phelan.
As the lead member of one of the preferred bidders in the REIPPP Programme, Solar Capital was given the opportunity to develop the largest solar farm in the Africa, the Middle East and the Southern Hemisphere which was launched in De Aar, Northern Cape in March 2016.

“Solar power not only needs to be a priority locally in South Africa, but also the world. With increased pressures to reverse the effects of climate change, it is imperative the we focus our efforts on developing and improving renewable energy sources,” concludes Paschal Phelan.

Young Business Woman Inspired by Solar Capital Entrepreneurial Development Programme

I grew up in Graff-Reinet where I lived with my parents and two brothers. It was not a happy household and I was glad to leave as soon as I could. As my parents could not afford to send me to university, I left home, got a bursary to attend the University of the North West and supported myself by working part-time. I put in a lot of hard work and gruelling hours, but in 2010I graduated with the Bachelor of Commerce in Law.

I was very pleased with my achievements and went to Cape Town to try and find work, but without any experience I was unsuccessful in my search. I came back to the Northern Cape and stayed with my mother who had moved to De Aar in 2008. I took up teaching Grade 12 Accounting and Business Studies in Richmond and in De Aar. This was not something I enjoyed and I didn’t feel like it was a calling for me. So, when I saw an advert in the local paper about the Solar Capital Entrepreneurial Development Programme I decided to stop teaching and join.

At the same time as starting the Solar Capital programme I also opened up my own business – an entrepreneurial development consultancy. Although the programme covered a lot of business basics which I already knew because of my degree, I can now use the practical knowledge gained from the course to mentor my clients going forward.

My consultancy is a one stop shop. You can come to me about legal representation, wealth management, marketing etc. I have had a number of clients this year. What I do is set up a business strategy for them, help them with their marketing, and assist them with the smooth running of their business and in finding opportunities, resources and funding. At the moment I am working on a strategy for a fuel station in Phillipstown which I am finding very exciting. It is going to be the only petrol station within a 40km radius and will offer a number of services.

Later this year I will assist an OK supermarket that is opening up in De Aar. I am looking forward to that as it will be a large and challenging project. I am also looking to target businesses in small towns in the surrounding areas like Graff-Reinet as this type of business is just not found around here, and I think small business owners will see the value in what I do.

Solar Capital assisted me by funding the purchase of my office equipment. Also, being a strong student in the programme, many other participants came to me for help with their assignments or when they didn’t understand something. Through this I have managed to attract potential customers which will assist in the long-term success of my business.

At the age of 27 I am able to support both my brothers who are studying at university, one Industrial Psychology and one Sociology. I believe they will succeed in what they are doing, and I hope that one day we can all work together in the business I am building.I have a vision where they will work with me to create a family business that will last generations.

Solar Capital helped me and my family build a future which will be a legacy we can hand on to our children. Solar Capital gave me confidence to believe that I can achieve anything. Thanks to Solar Capital I am stronger and highly motivated.

How I Am Paying It Back: Simon Dithebe

I grew up in a suburb called WY8, which is part of the small town of Kuruman in the Northern Cape. My father passed away while I was still a small child. I was told I was still crawling. So myself and my five brothers and sisters were brought up by my mother. Very sadly she also passed away when I was 12, at which point my grandparents took over looking after us.

While I was in school I got a part-time job as a fruit picker on a grape farm called De Wet Nel Boerderye. I used to work there during the holidays and on weekends and while there was promoted through a number of positions. Mr Rafe Shabaily, the manager of the farm, really invested in me. He saw that I was a people’s person and was determined to make a success of my life and so he decided to fund my studies in Human Resources at the University of the North West in Mafikeng.

Mr Shabaily funded all three years of my university studies, from books to the tuition fees and the residence. I remember the day after graduation we sat in his office and he said “Simon you must never think that you owe me a single cent”. I couldn’t believe my ears and he could see that I was shocked. He repeated it again and said “Yes you heard me; not a single cent”.

I chose to go back to the farm and spend five years working there as a way to say thank you to Mr Shabailyand the management of the farm.

The passing of my father while I was so young propelled me into becoming a photographer. I don’t have any trace of what he looked like, and as a tribute to him, I began taking quality photos of the community so that one day,when their loved ones pass on, they can show the new generations what their late family looked like.

Using an analogue Minolta camera this calling became a small business for me while working at the farm. Fourteen years later my side-line business is now my main source of income and has grown to include videography and music.

Attending Solar Capital’s Entrepreneurial Development Programme gave me the added push I needed to expand my vision.The funding from Solar Capital allowed me to buy hi-tech equipment which increased my earnings substantially. I then used this extra revenue to buy a people carrier which I now use to transport KFC employees to and from work. All in all this process allowed my income to double!

My next dream is to run a successful brick selling business. I have already started on this, but I need to start marketing this for it to become successful.

The assistance given to me by Mr Shabaily when I was younger taught me to assist wherever I can and to bless the people around me with whatever I might have in my hands. It might look small but to someone near me it can be the biggest thing he / she ever wanted.

I have encouraged three of my helpers who work with me at the bricks manufacturing business to go back to school. Two are now doing hospitality and one is doing public administration at the De Aar FET College. I am so proud of them for having seen the importance of going back to school.

The opportunity afforded to me by Solar Capital’s Entrepreneurial Development Programme helped me in fulfilling my dream to become the businessman I am today. I want to pay forward some of this good fortune, and so I am now mentoring a young man by the name of Lee Evans in photography. He is a participant in the Entrepreneurial Development Youth Programme run by Solar Capital and I hope I can help to inspire him and assist in growing his passion for this art form.

Skills Development and Youth Employment in De Aar

I am 23-years-old and am originally from Mossel Bay. I have been living with my paternal grandparents in De Aar for the last 15 years.

When I finished school there was no funding for me to continue with tertiary studies, but I took up a civil learnership in aerobics through Raubex Training Centre in Bloemfontein for 10 months. The same organisation then sent me for IT training at CTU Training Solutions while I worked for them in order to obtain practical experience. After finishing this internship I had no plans and hadn’t found a job, so I took the opportunity when approached to join the Solar Capital Community Development Workers(CDW) programme at the beginning of 2015.

I am still part of the CDW programme. We have workshops and classes once a month and further assignments to do this year. This course has totally changed the way I see the world, and so has changed me as a person, but it has also opened up the amazing opportunity for me of becoming an IT Facilitator at the Solar Capital Community Centre.

Solar Capital was looking for two IT Facilitators at their centre to assist any members of the public who use the IT resources. They chose me as they knew me from the CDW course to attend further eSkills training through the Vaal University of Technology. The other IT Facilitator and I graduated from this course in May 2016.

There is a top notch computer lab with free Wi-Fi at the centre that is open to anyone to use. Some of the public don’t know how to use a computer at all, others need help with how to do searches etc. I don’t know everything, but I will try my best to assist them and learn together with them.

I am now not only employed, but the CDW course has assisted me on a much deeper level. It has restructured me personally and so I am able to start in assisting with the restructuring of our community.

When starting the course I found it difficult to talk about my life experiences. I am not a talker and I used to mask my feelings. We spoke about some negative things over and over again. It was difficult to relive a memory I didn’t want to relive at all. But, in the end it really helped me so much that I am more of an open person than before. I can now easily talk about what happened and talk to other people and give them advice. I now understand that I have to let go; I have to accept things and move forward. It is the only way I am going to be happy.

This CDW course was a great opportunity and allowed me to learn something new. I am now able to better relate to people and offer assistance emotionally and practically. This will definitely help me in my IT Facilitator position and in any other position I hold in the future.

There are opportunities out there if you grab them with both hands. It doesn’t matter where you start, from the bottom or not. Don’t let any opportunity pass you by.

Inspiring Youngster Shares His Recipe For Success

I am 21-years-old and I am originally from Bloemfontein in the Free State. In Grade 11 I had to quit school because both my parents had passed away and I needed to support myself. For a year or so I worked at a DSTV company installing satellite dishes, after which I started my own business selling fruit and vegetables from a small stall in one of the surrounding informal settlements.Although I managed to get by, I still had dreams of studying and creating a career for myself.

The year before last, my cousin who lives in De Aar told me about the Northern Cape Rural FET College in De Aar where I could study Hospitality for two years on a government bursary. I am now in my second year of study and even though I see many other students drop out, I am determined to finish. I am very lucky because I really enjoy this field of study and when I am done the qualifications will be equal to that of a matric.

When I heard about the Solar Capital Entrepreneurial Development Youth Programme at the beginning of this year I decided to join. I think it is important to keep your options open and learn as much as you can. Also,I am able to do this course alongside my studies.

The programme has been very helpful to me as it has allowed me to see that there are opportunities if you look for them. I learnt a lot, like business skills and marketing, but most importantly how to look for the right opportunity.

I discussed a number of business ideas with my mentors, and we eventually decided on something we all thought would work. Once the business is up and running I will be able to carry on with it alongside my studies, or something else I do.

My idea is to recycle plastic bottles. There is so much rubbish around De Aar that we would not run short, and it would clean up the area for us locals. Also, my mentors tell me that the return on plastic is much higher than that on cardboard boxes for example. During the week people could collect plastic and bring it to me. I will pay them for this. Then on the weekends I could go and collect plastic myself. There is a local waste broker here in De Aar that I would sell all of this to.

I haven’t yet set up my business, but when I do, the extra income will be a big help in my personal life. I will also use any extra income to put towards growing my business further.

The average man on the street in South Africa doesn’t have knowledge about what is going on inside and outside a business. This programme assisted us in learning so much about the admin side of business. I think it is valuable because South Africa has such a high unemployment rate, and if we entrepreneurs create successful businesses we can create further jobs for other people who are unemployed. We would give other people a chance.

Reducing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder In De Aar

More common in South Africa than Down Syndrome, Spina Bifida and Autism combined,Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) directly affects at least 3 million people in the country¹. Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can result in permanent harm to your unborn baby. With a disproportionate prevalence of FASD in De Aar in the Northern Cape, the South African based Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR) began its work in the area.

Through the funding received from Solar Capital, who this year launched the largest solar farm in the Southern Hemisphere, FARR introduced the Healthy Mother Healthy Baby© (HMHB) Programme in De Aar. With the goal of supporting pregnant women to have healthier pregnancies and healthier FASD-free babies, the FAAR programme strives to reduce FASD by empowering women with knowledge and providing access to health and supportive services.

Solar Capital has been involved in the funding of FARR’s flagship project in De Aar since 2013. When beginning construction outside of De Aar in 2012, Head of Economic Development at Solar Capital, Janice Finlay, saw the widespread effects of FASD first-hand.

“I knew that De Aar had been declared as the town with the highest reported rate of FASD in the world in the early 2000’s with 12.2% of babies being affected. It was only after visiting this area that I understood why. This rate is certainly linked to historical and socio-economic factors which have manifested in an area with a high unemployment rate, poverty, a culture of violence, dysfunctional families and a sense of hopelessness”, says Finlay.

To date FARR has experienced a definite decrease in the number on children born with FASD in De Aar. Paediatrician, geneticist and found of FARR, Professor Viljoen, remembers how common FASD was in this first clinics. Now he rarely diagnoses a child with FASD and refers far fewer children with other health problems for further assessment.

The HMHB© Programme also helps in raising awareness of the problems of alcohol abuse and FASD by means of a ‘Sensible Drinking’ programme which boyfriends and husbands are also encouraged to attend. Much time is also spent with local teachers to ensure that referrals are made where appropriate and that skills on how to deal with FASD and other learning problems are gained.

“Mothers who participate in the programme are better equipped to make informed decisions about their pregnancies and ultimately the health of their unborn babies. They also gain information and skills to ensure that they can spread FASD prevention messages to their family, friends and other community members,” says Finlay.

The University of Stellenbosch’s Nutrition Information Centre also states that children with FASD are often born prematurely or with a low birth weight. This puts the child at risk for infectious diseases and ill health. “Individuals with FASD tend to be approximately 10% smaller than their normal peers,” says Finlay.

South Africa has the highest reported FASD rates in the world with prevalence rates ranging between 27/1000 or 2,7% (in Gauteng); 122/1000 or 12,2% in the Northern Cape Province; 130/1000 or 13% in the Eastern Cape Province and 290/1000 and 29% in the Western Cape Province².

Finlay explains that FASD can include structural anomalies as well as behavioural and neuro-cognitive disabilities. “FASD is often characterised by facial and neural abnormalities, growth retardation, as well as malformations of other organ systems. What is regrettable is that this is the most preventable cause of mental retardation worldwide, and that the damage is permanent and irreversible.”

Solar Capital sees enormous value in funding the FARR Project in the area. “Our involvement provides FARR with essential financial support which they use to develop local capacity within the community to facilitate the birth of healthier children and to provide improved care to family members. Alcohol abuse and FASD had a crippling effect on this community,” says Finlay.

With projects like these we are contributing to the psycho-social and economic well-being of society and a healthy new generation. “We encourage more corporates to start funding similar projects in the rest of South Africa in order to develop healthier and stronger communities and to support the government departments in their challenging tasks,” concludes Finlay.

¹ Due to financial and other resource constraints, the majority of the FASD research conducted in South Africa is at present done by FARR and is limited to 4 of the 9 provinces. In the Western Cape Province, an American group (FASER) is doing research in two districts.

² In accordance with international criteria for FASD prevalence studies, all these investigations were done with Grade One Learners.

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