South African chemicals producer seeks to procure 600 MW of renewables

South Africa-based chemicals producer Sasol is now trying to find partners to potentially deploy renewable energy projects, by kicking off a request for information (RFI) process to secure electricity supplies for its domestic operations.

“We intend procuring, in total, approximately 600 MW of renewable electricity capacity with the aim of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 1.6 million tons per annum,” said Sasol’s chief sustainability officer, Hermann Wenhold. “This will favourably position Sasol to deliver on our commitment of reducing our South African GHG emissions by at least 10% by 2030.”

The group said that the projects will each have to exceed 20 MW of capacity. It will design them either as wheeled options from suitable locations across South Africa, or as embedded options close to Sasol’s facilities in Sasolburg and Secunda. Interested developers and investors have until June 5 to submit their offers.

South African businesses are resorting to solar and renewables to reduce their dependence on Eskom. But the Covid-19 pandemic has actually helped troubled the South African utility to temporarily resolve the load-shedding challenges it faces. Recently, it warned electricity consumers that it does not expect any load shedding throughout the country’s lockdown period, due to the ongoing crisis and low energy demand.