At the end of June the first fish farm in South Africa to be run on energy from its own solar power plant was opened.

To this purpose the power group Eskom had converted the previous Umgeni water treatment plant to HD Hill fish farm. The 500 solar cells installed there can supply up to 5,000 KW per day, reports African Eye News Service. HD Hill has been exporting wels to the European market for two months already. Manager Leon de Jonge is expecting annual production to reach 60.000 fish in the coming year, leading to sales of 1,1 m euros. He announced that with the support of Nepad, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, further solar power operated fish farms were to be set up in various locations in Africa. Valli Moosa, the south african Minister for Environment, explained at the farm’s official opening that, as one of the countries with the highest carbon-dioxide emissions worldwide, it was time for South Africa to start encouraging sustainable energy forms.