In a significant leap towards South Africa’s renewable energy future, Red Rocket, a leading renewable energy company, has announced the financial close of the Tournee Solar Park. This project marks a historic achievement as it is the first and only initiative to reach this stage, utilising land secured under Eskom’s landmark land lease initiative launched in 2022.

The Tournee Solar Park is set to transform the energy landscape in South Africa, providing clean energy to hundreds of thousands of homes while contributing to the nation’s decarbonisation goals.

The initiative, introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, aimed to provide “an ambitious, bold and urgent response” to the country’s ongoing energy crisis. Eskom, South Africa’s state utility, took decisive action by signing lease agreements with four Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for the commercial use of land at two power stations, Majuba and Tutuka, located in Mpumalanga province. This strategic move was designed to unlock clean energy generation capacity from previously underutilised land.

On 14 October 2022, Eskom formalised these agreements with the selected bidders, including Red Rocket. The company secured two parcels of land to initiate its solar project, which has now come to fruition. Sharief Harris, Head of Development at Red Rocket, noted the importance of this early collaboration with Eskom.

“Feasibility studies commenced alongside Eskom’s procurement process. This approach allowed us to submit proposals that were both aligned with Eskom’s expectations and sustainable for the long term. These sites are ideally suited for solar power and incorporate storage potential, targeting a combined 300 MW capacity.”

Fast-forward to 2025, Red Rocket has successfully realised this vision, and the journey is set to reshape the energy landscape in South Africa. Matteo Brambilla, CEO of Red Rocket, expressed pride in the partnership with Eskom.

“We are proud of our continued partnership with Eskom, and to be the first and only IPP to bring a project from the 2022 innovative land lease initiative to life.”

The Tournee Solar Park will showcase approximately 463,000 bifacial solar modules mounted on single-axis trackers, which will connect to the national grid via a 132 kV overhead powerline. Once operational, the solar park is expected to generate an impressive average of 720 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually over its 20-year lifespan—enough clean energy to power approximately 224,000 standard South African homes each year.

Moreover, the project will play a substantial role in reducing carbon emissions, with an anticipated avoidance of approximately 709,200 metric tonnes of CO₂e annually. This contribution aligns seamlessly with the nation’s decarbonisation goals.

Brambilla said he optimistic about the future. “Through this significant deal, we are seeing the energy transition unfold in real time as a new era of sustainable infrastructure rises from this historic land, paving a future powered by renewable energy. It’s a clear demonstration of how bold policy and private sector innovation can unlock the clean energy generation South Africa urgently needs.”

Rivoningo Mnisi, Eskom Group Executive for Renewables, congratulated Red Rocket on their triumph in reaching financial close.

“This achievement marks a significant milestone and exemplifies the potential of public-private collaboration to add generation capacity to the grid while accelerating South Africa’s transition to cleaner energy.”

He reiterated Eskom’s commitment to fostering clean energy solutions that align with national decarbonisation objectives.

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