Meet Africa’s first multi-buyer wheeling facility

Author

Sammy Jamar
October 07, 2025

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Small companies in South Africa can now buy renewables via the grid thanks to virtual wheeling from a new 195 MW solar plant. The Springbok Solar Power Project, launched ahead of schedule by SOLA Group, is the first in Africa to supply multiple firms with clean energy through the national grid. This could revolutionise how renewables are bought and sold.

  • Virtual wheeling enables the delivery of renewable energy from an Independent Power Producer (IPP) to a buyer without requiring a direct physical connection or amendments to existing electricity supply agreements for each off-take site.

  • Large early adopters of virtual wheeling include telecommunications company Vodacom, which signed an agreement with utility Eskom in 2023. More firms are expected to adopt the models as regulatory frameworks solidify.

  • Our take: This tackles the biggest hurdle for corporate clean energy - ease of access.… Read more (2 min)

China Energy Engineering Corporation emerged as the leading investor in September, contributing around 38% of the total $2.6 billion funding commitments. The EU ranked second with a $638 million pledge across nine African countries, followed by Standard Bank of South Africa, which closed a $400 million deal with power producer Mulilo.

  • Standard Bank remains Africa’s leading bank in renewable energy investment, serving as lead arranger and underwriter for several major deals, including $300 million for CrossBoundary Energy and $870 million for NOA Group.

  • Among renewables technologies, solar PV continues to dominate and, together with battery energy storage systems, accounts for over 90% of new funding.

  • Our take: African countries must focus on attracting funding across the renewables value chain to capture more upside… Read more (2 min)

Peter Njenga, CEO of KenGen, the parastatal leaning into geothermal, says Kenya must move decisively and invest boldly in renewable energy — the time for incremental progress is over. In an opinion article, he notes the old model of relying on imported fossil fuels is unsustainable. And that the global energy transition will reshape trade flows and supply chains.

  • “Clearer regulations, faster permitting, and bolder targets will give investors confidence and accelerate timelines. The global energy transition is moving fast, unless we keep pace, we risk being left behind,” says Mr Njenga.

  • He warns that if Kenya clings to outdated models, it will pay the price. Instead, he urges the country to leap forward, harness the power beneath its feet and above its head, and claim its place in the global green transition.

  • Read the rest of the opinion piece here… Read more (2 min)

Sustainable Energy for All convenes a workshop on Energy Efficiency and the Sustainable Cooling Investment Marketplace in Kenya

Events

🗓️ Take part in the Nigeria Mining Week 2025 forum (Oct 13)

🗓️ Participate in a webinar on Energy for Equitable Development (Oct 14)

🗓️ Attend Zambia’s ZimZam 2025 event (Nov 26)

🗓️ Sign up for the first-ever African Energy Efficiency Conference (Dec 10)

Jobs 

👷‍♀️ Tony Blair’s Institute seeks an Energy Consultant role (Rwanda)

👷🏻‍♂️ Join ENGIE as a Junior Operational Monitor (South Africa)

🦺 Lead project execution activities at Powergen Renewable Energy (Nigeria)

Various 

💡 Renewables surpass coal as the world’s largest electricity source

⚙️ Liberia and World Bank launch renewable energy project in Lofa County

🌀 Egypt and MingYang explore cooperation to develop local wind turbine industry

Seen on LinkedIn 

Matt Tilleard, Managing Partner and Co-Founder at CrossBoundary, says, “This is NOT another transition to a new Fuel. It’s a transition to Technology. And that changes everything.”