South Africa to install solar plants at major airports

From the newsletter

South Africa’s Airports Company (ACSA) is seeking bids to install 9.5 MW of solar energy across airports in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, paired with battery storage at sites in the Northern Cape, Kimberley & Western Cape. The company plans to reduce airport reliance on the grid while lowering its electricity costs.

• Airports require uninterrupted power for critical operations and safety needs. ACSA is diversifying its energy supply to avoid state-owned utility Eskom’s struggling grid. Johannesburg OR Tambo airport’s 5 MW plant alone could cover 12% of its daily 42 MW demand while insulating operations from blackouts costing approximately $1.2 million per hour during outages on diesel generators. 

• The inclusion of modular designs for future battery integration shows foresight in addressing solar intermittency. Research shows that solar plus four hours of battery storage cuts diesel backup costs at airports by 38%. This could drastically reduce the $63 million that ACSA spends on fuel per /year.

More details

• The OR Tambo project in Johannesburg (5 MW) will be ground-mounted, requiring contractors to integrate with existing electrical infrastructure and permit future battery expansion. King Shaka’s 2 MW (Western Cape) rooftop installation mandates a five-year maintenance contract and operator training, while Cape Town’s 2.5 MW plant introduces new solar technology, demanding specialised monitoring and procedural updates.

• The solar PV tenders include maintenance and training programs, ensuring long-term operational efficiency and local skills development. The closing date for submissions is March 17, 2025. Tender documents are available on the ACSA website.

• A separate tender focuses on the design, supply, installation, commissioning, and testing of lithium-ion batteries at Upington International Airport (Northern Cape), Kimberley Airport, and George Airport (Western Cape). This project is slated for completion within six months.

• Airports Company South Africa is actively pursuing sustainability goals, including reducing its carbon footprint and transitioning to renewable energy. Their long-term vision aims for carbon neutrality in energy consumption and the development of "Green Airports".

• Airports in general are arenas for renewable energy projects. Globally, airports consume 10,000 MW annually on average, with solar projects offsetting 20% to 40% of demand. Airports’ 24/7 operations also align with hybrid systems (solar + storage) to ensure uninterrupted power.

• South Africa is joining a global trend here, following countries like the USA and India. However,  the scale and comprehensive approach of ACSA's initiative are noteworthy in the African context.ACSA's integration of solar and storage across multiple airports demonstrates a strategic vision.

• Airports in other African countries are fast adopting renewables as well. From Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (7 MW solar) to Nigeria’s Aminu Kano (1 MW) and Kenya’s Moi International (500 kW), African airports are rapidly going solar. While projects vary in scale, common hurdles like financing gaps and lack of storage persist. These efforts reflect a continent-wide shift toward decentralised energy, pressuring state utilities to modernise or risk irrelevance as high-demand clients exit centralised grids.

• If the ASCA project achieves success, airports in Africa could be the new frontier for renewables. They might serve as anchors as urban microgrids shielding infrastructure from power failures and enhancing grid stability. For energy companies, investing in airport renewables could mean new revenue streams, tech innovation and forging progressive partnerships.

• The training aspect of these projects by ASCWA ensures that once the infrastructure is established, it can be maintained through expertise gained. By incorporating training programs, ACSA ensures that local technicians and engineers gain the skills necessary to operate and maintain the solar PV and battery storage systems. This reduces reliance on external expertise and promotes long-term sustainability. It creates a skilled workforce that can support the growth of the renewable energy sector in South Africa.

• Overall ACSA's airport solar tender shifts to decentralised, integrated renewables, prioritising public leadership, training, and large-scale infrastructure, signaling Africa's renewable energy growth.

Our take

• Eskom's failures are driving away major clients. ACSA's solar move isn't just green, it's self-preservation. With Eskom's 17% downtime in 2024, and OR Tambo alone potentially offsetting 12% of its demand, ACSA is saying: "We can't afford you," and so are other companies like Teraco, Nampak, Implats, just to name a few.

• The utility now faces an existential choice: reform (unbundle, privatise, embrace renewables) or fade into irrelevance as corporate South Africa builds its own energy future. Watch Sasol and ArcelorMittal, both high-energy users, as they finalise 1000+ MW renewable plans. Their exit could be Eskom’s point of no return.

• Ultimately, the real headline is King Shaka’s 140-hour operator training program, Africa’s first airport-led renewables apprenticeship. This flips the script: instead of begging for maintenance contracts, they’re breeding local expertise to export.