The new installations include 280 MW from projects under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), commissioned since December 2024, and an additional 647 MW from non-REIPPPP projects. This level of growth suggests that the country may surpass the 1.1 GW of solar added across 2024, though still below the record 2.6 GW achieved in 2023.
SAPVIA estimates that as of mid-2025, South Africa’s cumulative solar capacity has reached 9,457 MW. The association noted: “There is a healthy pipeline of projects, with solar comprising 10,078 MW of a total 14.9 GW as of July 2025. Moreover, there are an additional 11 projects from the REIPPPP that are still under construction.”
The REIPPPP continues to serve as the backbone of utility-scale solar development in the country. In July, the government approved six new solar projects with a combined capacity of 1,290 MW under the seventh procurement round. This represents the largest utility-scale solar allocation in 2025. The capacity was made available after being reallocated from unutilized onshore wind projects. SAPVIA stated: “This strategic move ensures that unutilised capacity from onshore wind allocations is swiftly redirected to projects capable of rapid deployment and grid integration, reinforcing South Africa’s commitment to an accelerated clean energy transition.”
Outside of the REIPPPP framework, solar-plus-storage solutions are also expanding. Recently, Mzansi Energy Consortium (Pty) Ltd. registered a 110 MW solar-plus-storage project in Limpopo, aiming to enhance grid stability by pairing renewable energy with storage.
In the commercial and industrial (C&I) market, SAPVIA highlighted progress in medium-scale solar projects. Since June 2024, 100 MW worth of projects sized between 100 kW and 1 MW have been registered, alongside 250 MW of projects in the 1 MW to 50 MW range.
By contrast, the residential solar market has shown signs of slowing since the reduction of load shedding. SAPVIA explained: “This is evident in the number of new solar PV installation companies taking our PV GreenCard membership. However, we cannot yet quantify it.”
The government earlier this year approved South Africa’s renewable energy masterplan, which sets a target of deploying at least 3 GW of new renewable energy annually, increasing to 5 GW by 2030. Supporting this ambition, Eskom, the national utility, launched a renewable energy offtake program in August. This initiative aims to secure power purchase agreements with large consumers, beginning with a request for proposals covering 291 MW of solar capacity.
Overall, South Africa’s solar expansion reflects strong momentum in both large-scale and industrial segments, underpinned by government policies, procurement programs, and private sector initiatives. This growth highlights the country’s ongoing shift toward a more secure and sustainable energy mix.
