Sola group on Tuesday launched the 195 megawatt peak (MWp) Springbok solar project in Virginia in the Free State.
The renewable energy company said its pioneering flexible multi-buyer platform will enable South African corporate buyers to purchase clean energy from a single source.
The solar project also includes the first operational agreement for the purchase of virtual wheels in South Africa Vodacom.
This mechanism allows companies to purchase renewable energy from an external facility, such as the Virginia solar farm, and offset its electricity consumption through a financial arrangement, without the need for a direct physical connection.
“The project engages multiple buyers on a flexible bilateral basis, without the additional costs of a trading entity. This model is crucial for accelerating the private sector’s energy transition and managing risks across the entire electricity grid,” Sola Group said in a statement.
The energy generated will be transported over the Eskom grid. Customers include Amazon and Sibanye-Stillwater, the original anchor buyers. Others include Sasol, Afrimat, Redefine, Old Mutual, Rio Tinto and BRM Brands.
The installation will generate approximately 430 GWh of clean energy annually, which is enough to power approximately 150,000 households. It will offset an estimated 399,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, equivalent to planting 6.5 million trees, Sola Group said.
Blueprint
“The Springbok solar project provides a blueprint for the future of large-scale, private energy in South Africa,” Sola’s commercial division said. Jonathan Skeen in a statement.
“By integrating multiple buyers with diverse contract needs, we are demonstrating that renewable energy can be delivered reliably, flexibly and at the scale necessary to support economic growth and decarbonization goals.”
The next phase of the project will introduce the capacity of a co-located battery energy storage system (Bess).
Read: Vodacom is flipping the switch on SA’s first large-scale virtual wheeling project
Sola Group’s Naos 1 and Nyala solar and storage projects in Viljoenskroon and Welcome in the Free State are expected to provide 770 MW of generation capacity, coupled with the Bess supplying more than 1.5 GWh of dispatchable power. These projects will be among the largest private solar and battery storage facilities in Africa.
Sola said the wheeling framework is central to this growth, enabling large-scale projects in areas rich in renewable resources and where grid connections are available to deliver power to customers across the country.
The delivery of the Springbok project comes at a time when South Africa’s private generation sector is driving significant market activity. Non-profit organization GreenCape estimates that private sector renewable energy capacity will add approximately 6 GW of PV and 4 GW of wind energy by 2030.
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And, according to the newly released Integrated Resources Plan 2025 (IRP), which maps the country’s future energy mix, renewables, gas and nuclear power will supply more power to the country than coal by 2039.
Richard StewartCEO of Sibanye-Stillwatersaid the Springbok project is a tangible step in the mining company’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.
Read: Wind, solar and gas are central to South Africa’s future energy mix
“Private partnerships such as these deliver real, tangible value to South Africa, while at the same time securing the supply of sustainable, cost-effective renewable energy for our South African operations.”
Amazon Web Servicesmeanwhile, aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. James Hickman, AWS country manager, said the partnership advances the cloud service provider’s sustainability goals and helps create new models for companies’ renewable energy procurement in Africa.
The Springbok project was built in a joint venture between Sola and construction company WHBO. The financing, which amounted to more than R3 billion, was secured by a consortium comprising Rand Merchant Bank, Investec, Absa, Revego and Ubuzwe.
The Springbok project increases Sola’s operational portfolio in South Africa to 464 MWp, making it the largest operational supplier of private energy contracts in South Africa. — © 2025 NieuwsCentrale Media
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Amy Musgrave
techcentral.co.za
