Amazon backs South Africa’s first shared solar wheeling initiative

Project marks a new stage in corporate renewable energy sourcing across the continent

James Hickman, AWS country manager, South Africa.

Commercial operations have started at the Springbok Solar Power Project in South Africa’s Free State province, developed by Sola Group. The 195MW facility, structured as a multi-buyer energy wheeling platform, allows several corporate clients to purchase power from a single renewable source.

Amazon serves as the project’s anchor buyer, with its long-term power purchase agreement cited as a key enabler of the project’s financing and development. The platform also includes buyers such as Sibanye-Stillwater, Rio Tinto, Old Mutual, Vodacom, Sasol, Redefine, Afrimat, and BRM Brands, representing multiple sectors from mining to telecommunications and finance.

At full capacity, Springbok is expected to generate around 430GWh of electricity annually—enough to supply approximately 150,000 homes, and reduce carbon emissions by 399,000 tonnes per year.

The facility’s multi-buyer model introduces a flexible contracting structure that supports long-term cost savings and enables private companies to participate in South Africa’s renewable energy market. It also includes the country’s first virtual wheeling power purchase agreement, established with Vodacom, allowing entities connected to Eskom’s low-voltage and municipal grids to access renewable energy without direct generation assets.

According to Sola Group, the project contributes to South Africa’s grid modernization efforts while advancing private-sector involvement in clean energy generation. The company reported an R375 million investment in local employment and community initiatives, with approximately 500 permanent and part-time jobs created.

James Hickman, Country Manager at Amazon Web Services South Africa, said the collaboration aligns with Amazon’s global commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and supports scalable models for corporate renewable energy sourcing in Africa.

Richard Stewart, CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater, noted that Springbok represents the second operational asset within the miner’s 407MW renewable energy portfolio, marking continued progress toward its 2040 carbon neutrality goal.

Sola Group’s total operational capacity now stands at 464MWp, with two additional large-scale renewable projects including battery energy storage components, planned to begin construction in November 2025 and November 2026.