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Eskom bets on green power: South Africa’s renewable energy shift gathers pace

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2 weeks ago

August 19, 2025

Chiraag

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South Africans are used to hearing Eskom’s name in the same sentence as load shedding. Yet this week, the country’s power utility signalled a different kind of headline: one about transition, sustainability, and the future.

Eskom has officially launched its first Renewable Energy Offtake Programme, inviting large power users to help steer the country into a greener era. The move marks a shift away from coal-heavy dependence towards a portfolio that blends in more clean energy sources.

What the new programme means

At the heart of the plan is a call for proposals. Eskom is offering large-scale customers the chance to procure 291 megawatts of solar photovoltaic power through long-term agreements. These Power Purchase Agreements will run anywhere between five and 25 years, with the first new supply expected to reach operation by December 2027.

Eskom’s CEO, Dan Marokane, described the move as a milestone in the company’s turnaround strategy. His message was clear: Eskom is not only working to keep the lights on but also positioning itself as a competitive, sustainable business that can keep up with global energy trends.

A national vision for a greener economy

This programme doesn’t exist in isolation. It comes on the heels of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s own calls for South Africa to embrace renewable energy as part of a just transition. In his State of the Nation address, he emphasised the need to build a green manufacturing sector, with ambitions stretching from electric vehicles to green hydrogen exports.

Work is already underway at Boegoebaai in the Northern Cape, where government plans to establish a Special Economic Zone to anchor hydrogen-related projects. On the solar side, the president highlighted a record-breaking private initiative near Lichtenburg in North West, where more than 390,000 solar panels have been installed, bringing 256 megawatts of additional capacity online.

Looking ahead: Eskom’s green ambitions

Eskom has made it clear that this is just the beginning. A dedicated renewable energy business has been set up to fast-track deployment. The targets are ambitious: two gigawatts of construction-ready projects by 2026, scaling up to 32 gigawatts by 2040, with green hydrogen firmly in the mix.

The road ahead will not be easy. Public trust in Eskom is fragile, and many South Africans are rightly sceptical after years of rolling blackouts. Yet if this programme delivers on its promises, it could redefine the power utility’s reputation and give the country a head start in building a more resilient and sustainable energy future.

For now, the shift from crisis management to climate-conscious planning offers a glimmer of hope. Eskom’s renewable energy pivot is more than a technical adjustment. It’s an acknowledgement that the energy story South Africans deserve is not just about keeping the lights on, but about lighting the way forward.