- Two new wind farms will supply 100 percent renewable electricity to Etana Energy customers under long term off-take agreements.
- Projects will generate around 580 GWh per year and displace approximately 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
- Construction is set to begin shortly, with commissioning planned for mid 2027.
Etana Energy and Acciona Energía have reached financial close on two large scale wind energy projects in the Western Cape. Under the agreement, Etana Energy will purchase all electricity generated by the Zen and Bergrivier wind farms for the first 20 years of operation. The projects have a combined export capacity of 190 MW and are located between Gouda and Saron in the Western Cape.
The Zen wind farm has a capacity of 100 MW, while the Bergrivier project will deliver 94 MW. Together, the facilities are expected to produce approximately 580 GWh of renewable electricity per year. The power will be supplied to a portfolio of commercial and industrial customers including Growthpoint, the V and A Waterfront, Tharisa Minerals, Petra Diamonds and Autocast.
The wind farms will be owned by Acciona Energía with a 51 percent stake, alongside a joint venture between H1 Capital and Chariot Limited holding the remaining 49 percent. Financial close was achieved on 12 December 2025. Construction is xpected to commence in the coming weeks, with commissioning scheduled for mid 2027.
Once operational, the projects are expected to displace around 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. This is equivalent to removing more than 225,000 internal combustion engine vehicles from South Africa’s roads each year.
According to Etana Energy chief executive officer Evan Rice, the projects strengthen the company’s ability to meet rising demand for clean and competitively priced electricity from the private sector.
“These wind projects are another key piece of the puzzle for Etana to provide businesses with renewable energy that can cover a high percentage of their total electricity needs,” Rice said. “This brings our generation portfolio to around 300 MW of wind and solar projects under construction, alongside the operational Boston Hydro facility, all supported by fully contracted customer off-take.”
Rice added that interest from South African businesses in flexible renewable energy solutions continues to grow, with a significant portion of Etana’s next phase of wind and solar projects already committed to customers and moving towards construction in the coming months.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
