Southern Africa’s energy landscape is changing rapidly. Regulatory changes and the adoption of renewable technologies are reshaping how large energy users such as mining companies, smelters and manufacturers procure electricity. For many, electricity procurement strategy is increasingly emerging as a strategic lever that influences competitiveness, sustainability positioning and security of energy supply.
It’s an exciting and dynamic time for the South African energy sector. Virtual wheeling, the BESS boom and the rise of energy traders are upon us. Amidst it all, Keith Bowen and the dedicated team at the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) have drafted the Market Code for the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM). The onset of SAWEM is set to transform the South African electricity landscape, which for the past 100 years has remained much the same.
As South Africa’s energy system navigates the dual challenges of loadshedding and renewable integration, we are actively developing and deploying BESS to enhance grid reliability, optimise energy use, and unlock economic value for large power users.
In addition to the annual increases in Eskom rates, NERSA has approved a significant restructuring of Eskom’s tariff this year. The new Retail Tariff Plan (RTP), approved by NERSA on 17 March 2025, aims to better align electricity tariffs with actual supply costs, improve transparency, and enhance fairness among consumers.
Last July, Energy Group published a blog titled “Power Insights: Loadshedding, Renewable Energy Adoption and Implications for Large-Scale Energy Users”. It explored Eskom’s latest supply and demand data as well as SARS’ national trade update.
This blog aims to build on that analysis and, in doing so, offer insights regarding updated trends in loadshedding and renewable energy adoption while also considering the potential implications for large-scale energy users.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of South African energy, the Generation Connection Capacity Assessment (GCCA) stands as a key input in helping stakeholders understand the dynamic changes taking place in terms of our energy generation mix and, critically, how that maps to current and planned grid capacity.
The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) serves as the government’s strategic framework for planning South Africa’s energy supply. It aims to align future energy demand with available resources and necessary capacity additions. This already-challenging task is further complicated by the transition to a carbon-neutral energy mix (by 2050) alongside the challenges posed by an aging coal fleet, grid capacity constraints, and the intermittency of renewable energy sources.
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is a term used for the industrial or commercial use of a fuel source to produce electricity as well as heat energy, in the form
Eskom has recently released their latest supply and demand data on the Eskom Data portal. Similarly, SARS recently provided its latest monthly update on national trade, which gives insight
The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) is a competitive bidding process used by the SA government to procure electricity from independent power producers (IPPs)
Thanks to the recent amendments to energy regulations in South Africa, the opportunities to invest in renewable energy either for own consumption or to sell to others have increased substantially
In a landmark development for renewable energy projects within the South African mining sector, Harmony Gold Mining Company (Pty) Ltd has secured R10.2bn to build a portfolio of energy projects which will be rolled out
Having started to engage South African mining companies on renewable energy opportunities almost ten years ago, we’ve witnessed an explosion of interest particularly over the past 2-3 years
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