The South African government has announced the appointment of preferred bidders for 16 renewable energy projects under its latest procurement programs, which include PV plants and battery energy storage facilities. The projects represent a combined investment of more than ZAR 44.2 billion.

The South African Department of Electricity and Energy said that eight solar projects, totaling 1.76 GW of contracted capacity, were selected under “Bid Window 7” of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). The projects were chosen from 48 bid responses, securing ZAR 31.4 billion in total investment.

“South African equity participation of 49% across all the Preferred Bidders and average Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) participation of 46% have been committed in this Bid Window,” the department said in a statement on the website of the official South African government news agency.

The projects are expected to create 6,971 job opportunities, measured in job years, while committing ZAR 7.8 billion in local content during construction and ZAR 2.4 billion during operation and maintenance, according to the South African government.

Separately, eight projects were named as preferred bidders in the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP) “Bid Window 2,” representing an additional ZAR 12.8 billion in investment.

Earlier this month, the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) revealed that the nation had deployed 961 MW of private-sector solar in the first 10 months of 2024. The organization predicted robust growth in the commercial, industrial, and utility-scale markets, despite a decline in the residential market.