With energy security becoming a pressing issue in South Africa, a number of industries and individuals are turning to renewables, utilizing community-powered technology from platforms to go solar.
Among these is South Africa’s first and largest wine farm, Groot Constantia, which, via solar leasing platform Sun Exchange, is constructing a 165-kW solar plant that will power the farm’s winemaking facilities and restaurants.
For Groot Constantia, going solar represents a top priority as the wine farm looks at integrating history with modernity and sustainability.
By utilizing a crowdsale approach, Groot Constantia will be able to access solar with investors from the global community buying-in – resulting in the farm having no upfront costs to going solar. Serving as a blueprint for other industries across the country, Groot Constantia’s solar development is set to usher in a new era of productivity and sustainability on the back of solar.
Meanwhile, for Sun Exchange, the project represents just one of the many being undertaken by the company both in-country and across the region. With a mandate of driving the transition to a clean energy future by offering individuals and companies the chance to adopt solar via external investors, platforms such as Sun Exchange are taking charge in South Africa.
Energy Capital & Power spoke with both Groot Constantia’s CEO, Jean Naudé, and the Founder and CEO of Sun Exchange, Abraham Cambridge, about the wine farm’s project and the benefits of going solar via crowd-leasing platforms.
