Wind Energy installations of significant scale across South Africa, ranked in order of output.

Wind Energy installations of significant scale across South Africa, ranked in order of output.

South Africa's Largest Solar and Wind Farms: A Comprehensive Overview

South Africa is leading the solar market in Africa, with over 20 GW of installed solar capacity as of mid-2025. Here's a look at some of the country's largest solar and wind farms.

The Gouda Wind Farm

Located in the Western Cape province, the Gouda Wind Farm was completed in 2014 with a capacity of 138MW and 66 turbines. It can produce 400 gigawatt hours of electricity annually, enough to power 200,000 households, and avoids the emission of 406 million metric tons of CO2 annually. The Gouda Wind Farm is owned in partnership between Aveng and Acciona Energia.

Top Solar Farms in South Africa

1. Kroonstad PV Cluster (Free State Province)
2. Total Capacity: 846 MW
3. Comprises three solar plants:
   • Oslaagte Solar 2: 293 MW
   • Oslaagte Solar 3: 293 MW
   • Leeuwspruit Solar: 260 MW
4. Developer: Scatec
5. Status: Awarded preferred bidder status in REIPPPP Round 7, expected construction start in 2026.
6. Sonvanger Solar Plant (Industrial user project)
7. Capacity: 100 MW
8. Part of a project by JUWI Renewable Energies serving industrial users like Glencore and Sasol
9. Expected operational by end of 2026.
10. Paarde Valley PV2 Project (Industrial user project)
11. Capacity: 120 MW
12. Also part of the JUWI projects, expected operational by end 2026.

Notable Wind Farms

• The Roggeveld wind farm is currently the wind farm with the lowest ever electricity tariff to have achieved financial close in South Africa.
• The Amakhala Emoyeni wind farm, located in the Eastern Cape, has a capacity of 134MW and started commercial operations in 2016. It has 56 turbines.
• The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) is a government initiative that has been instrumental in the development of many of these wind farms.
• South Africa's largest wind farm, Longyuan Mulilo De Aar2 North Wind, has a capacity of 144MW and is situated near De Aar in the Northern Cape.
• Oyster Bay Wind Power, an operational 140MW wind power facility, is developed and owned by Enel Green Power and sells energy to the South African national electricity utility company Eskom.
• The Kangnas Wind Power Station, located in the Northern Cape, has a capacity of 137MW and started commercial operations in November 2020. The energy produced is sold to Eskom under a 20-year PPA.
• The Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm, located in the Eastern Cape, has a capacity of 132MW and has 60 turbines each with power capacity of 2.3 MW. It can produce 460,000 MWh annually.
• Loeriesfontein 2, located in the Hantam Municipality of South Africa's Northern Cape, has a capacity of 140MW and includes 61 Siemens SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines.
• Cookhouse Wind Farm, located in the Eastern Cape, has a capacity of 138MW and was developed by Mainstream Renewable Power.
• Wind power in South Africa currently supplies over 960 MW to the power grid and solar energy has a sum of over 2,292MW solar photovoltaic capability.
• The Mpumalanga Wind Farm project, located in Mpumalanga, will have a capacity of 155MW and is expected to begin generating electricity soon, with completion scheduled for October 2027. It forms part of the Seriti Green's larger 900 MW Ummbila Emoyeni hybrid energy complex. The project has just reached financial close following the signing of a 15-year PPA.
• Roggeveld wind farm, located in the Western Cape, has a capacity of 147MW and is anticipated to become the most efficient wind farm in Southern Africa.
• Many of these wind farms, such as Longyuan Mulilo De Aar2 North Wind, Khobab Wind Farm, Loeriesfontein 2, and Roggeveld wind farm, were developed by Mainstream Renewable Power.
• Khobab Wind Farm, located in the Hantam Municipal region, has a capacity of 140MW and produces around 563,500 MWh/year of clean renewable energy.

This comprehensive overview provides a snapshot of South Africa's largest solar and wind farms as of 2025. For more detailed information on older or smaller farms, or capacity specifics for other provinces, additional datasets would be required.

1. The renewable energy sector, especially solar and wind farms, is significantly contributing to South Africa's energy mix, with solar power accounting for over 2,292MW and wind power supplying over 960MW as of 2025.
2. Construction in the renewable energy sector continues, with projects such as the Mpumalanga Wind Farm, expected to add 155MW to the grid upon completion in October 2027, underlining the industry's growth and influence on finance.
3. Engineering firms play a crucial role in this growth, with companies like Mainstream Renewable Power being instrumental in the development of numerous large-scale solar and wind farms across South Africa.

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