Sasol’s first large-scale renewable energy project, a 69 MW wind farm in Bedford, Eastern Cape, is now commercially operational.

The company has received the first electrons from the Msenge Emoyeni wind farm, wheeled through the national grid, to power its Sasolburg operations in the Free State.

The wind farm, comprising 16 turbines, was built in 18 months, making it one of the fastest-constructed renewable energy projects in the country, according to Sasol.

The project consortium is led by African Clean Energy Developments, a South African company that develops renewable energy projects in southern Africa, and includes African Infrastructure Investment Managers and Reatile Renewables.

“It is a tangible step, as one of the largest private procurers of renewable energy in South Africa, in contributing to reducing Sasol’s greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the country’s transition to a lower-carbon future while also enabling energy security and local employment,” said Simon Baloyi, President and CEO of Sasol.

Sasol has committed to procuring 1 200 MW of renewable energy by 2030 and has, so far, signed power purchase agreements for 757 MW.