Overview
ACI project involves a 10-40MW Photovoltaic (PV) Array located at Kwekwe, Zimbabwe, power production business conducted by ACI under FiT (Feed-In Tariff) mechanism.
ACI Power Generation Projects division constructs, operates and maintains the PV array power system and supplies the generated power by the solar PV power system to the Distribution Licensees (DLs) through a Special Purpose Company (SPC) as power producer formed for the project. The SPC must do the following tasks for the project.
The basic policy for deciding the contents of the project is to start with a relative small scale 10MW Project as the country has plentiful sunshine, with many parts of the country enjoying daily solar radiation of between 4 kWh and 6 kWh per square meter. This will confirm the business circumstance prior to implementing a large scale project.
Fixed tilt mount structures on a PV array utilizing amorphous silicon modules will be constructed on approximately 150 acres of land at the site with an Option to expand the project in the future resulting in a 40MW PV array.
Amorphous silicon thin film panels due to their lightweight will be used rather than mono- or poly-silicon due to their higher efficiency (produce more power per unit area) panels, but typically weigh more and cost more on a dollars per watt basis.
The 10MWdc system (peak output of 10MWdc) would generate approximately 12,526,260 kWh in an average weather year. PV module output degrades over time, typically at the rate of about one percent per year. Based on this degradation rate, which corresponds to the warranty levels of most amorphous silicon thin film panels (25 years at 80 percent of rated output), the 10MW PV array will generate approximately 326,000,000 kWh over its expected 25-30 year life. Below annexure is the Investment Simulator and Projections at 10c/kWh.
