Karoshoek Solar Power Station is an impressive project located in a small town, situated about 30kms east of Upington in the Northern Cape. A 100-megawatt concentrated solar power plant, the solar farm uses 360 000 parabolic mirrors, arranged precisely to track the sun’s movement using GPS technology, to concentrate sunlight to produce heat.

The power station achieved commercial commissioning in November 2018. The EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract was awarded to a joint venture company called Dankocom, comprising Cobra, Emvelo and Sener, an engineering and technology group based in Spain.

Container Conversions (Pty) Ltd played a small but significant role in the development of the infrastructure surrounding the town. The CSI contribution by one of the engineering companies involved in the construction of the project was the donation of over R3m rands worth of parkhomes, which was commissioned from Container Conversions.

These parkhomes were an important part of improving the facilities available to the residents of the Karoshoek area, and included:

Wilgenhoutsdrift Primary School
7m x 7m classroom; 7m x 7m classroom – Grade R; 9m x 3m combination ablution – small children / adult; 9m x 3m children ablution large.

Vaalkoppies Primary School
2 x 7m x 7m classroom; 6m x 3m kitchen; 9m x 3m children ablution large.

Ntsikelelo Clinic
12m x 6m combination – office / consulting / waiting; 6m x 3m kitchen; 9m x 3m combination ablution – adult / disabled.

Lambrechtsdrift Daycare
7m x 7m classroom; 6m x 6m combination – kitchen / office; 9m x 3m combination ablution – small children / adult.

Ntsikelelo ECD
6m x 6m classroom; 6m x 3m kitchen; 9m x 3m combination ablution – small children / adult.

There was a need for classrooms in the area as there was a shortage of these, resulting in learning locations that were not optimal and conducive to teaching. Additional facilities, such as the kitchens, were to allow for food preparation for the children by the staff.

Ablution blocks were one of the most needed facilities required in this community, and every institution on the list above was also donated an ablution block housed in a parkhome. These were a combination of child friendly (small toilets to accommodate pre-schoolers), typical adult sized and disabled facilities, depending on the need of the specific facility.

All the parkhome units, which were either 6m or 7m wide, were delivered to site in two sections and then ‘sewn up’ or joined on site.

You can find out more about the Karoshoek Solar Power Station here.