<P> Redstone Solar Thermal Power (RSTP) is a planned solar power tower solar thermal power plant, located in Postmasburg, near Kimberley, in the Northern Cape Region of South Africa . Redstone Solar Thermal Power is 100 megawatts (MW), and will be the first solar tower plant with molten salt energy storage in Africa . The project is based on the technology used in Solar Reserve's Crescent Dunes project in the US </P> <P> In January 2015, the South Africa Department of Energy awarded the RSTP project to a consortium led by SolarReserve and the Arabian Company for Water and Power Development (ACWA Power). The project is to achieve financial close at end of 2015 and commence operations in early 2018 . Overall project cost is $715 million, and basic power tariff offered at $124 / MW h . Peak power tariff is 270% of the basic power tariff i.e. $334 / MW h . Tariffs quoted in Rands, fully indexed, were R1. 70 / MW h base rate and R4. 58 / MW h peak rate (2015 rate). </P> <P> The RSTP project features a 2 - tank direct molten salt energy storage with 12 hours of full - load energy storage, namely 1200 MW h of equivalent power production, avoiding any backup fuel requirement . The RSTP project is located adjacent the 75 MW Lesedi and 96 MW Jasper photovoltaic solar power projects . Together the three projects comprise a combined CSP and PV solar park with a total 271 MW of generating capacity . </P> <P> The RSTP project will create 800 direct jobs during construction, with a planned 30 - year operating life . </P>

Redstone solar thermal power tower in northern cape