Enabling the Just Energy
Transition through captive
power generation

We are proud to have provided financing and corporate banking services to SOLA Group (‘SOLA’) for their third utility-scale renewable energy captive power project. Absa CIB acted as a Mandated Lead Arranger, Lender, Account Bank and Hedge Provider in the recently concluded renewable energy project to finance a 100MW Solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant located in the North-West Province, South Africa, at an estimated project cost of approximately R2.5bn.

SOLA is a 100% South African vertically integrated Independent Power Producer (IPP) founded in 2008. They have developed and operated competitive renewable energy projects across various technologies including utility-scale and C&I solar PV, micro-grid and Battery Energy Storage Systems in South Africa.

The power generated by the power plant will be supplied to African Rainbow Minerals Platinum (‘ARM Platinum’) under a 20-year power purchase agreement (‘PPA’). Once operational, the project will be able to supply electricity through a wheeling arrangement with Eskom to three of their mining sites located in Limpopo. This will account for about a third of the division’s energy requirement. This private offtake agreement will reduce electricity costs for ARM Platinum whilst simultaneously reducing its carbon footprint, resulting in economic, social and environmental gains.