Overberg Wind Farm: A major milestone in South Africa's renewable energy journey
The Red Rocket command centre.
Image: Supplied.
Overberg Wind Farm has reached a pivotal milestone as it embarks on Phase 2 construction, positioning itself as South Africa's largest wind farm and a beacon for renewable energy in Africa.
Taking another step forward in South Africa's clean energy transition, Independent Power Producer (IPP) Red Rocket has successfully reached financial close and started construction of Phase 2 of the wind farm situated 12 km west of Swellendam.
The landmark 400MW plant is set to become South Africa’s largest wind farm, the second largest in Africa, and will rank among the top 15 worldwide upon completion.
Red Rocket CEO Matteo Brambilla celebrated the achievement: "This marks an extraordinary milestone for Red Rocket. Reaching financial close for both phases of Overberg Wind Farm and commencing construction is a testament to the collective effort of our partners and reinforces our commitment to driving sustainability through private-sector-led solutions."
Brambilla added: "Beyond its immediate impact, Overberg Wind Farm aligns with our broader ambition to expand renewable energy infrastructure across Africa and reaffirm our position as a leading IPP in our market. With 4GW of projects either operational, under construction, or approaching financial close, we are making a significant contribution to South Africa’s energy security and grid resilience."
Wind turbines lined up at Rietkloof Wind Farm.
Image: Supplied.
The initiative strengthens South Africa’s commitment to expanding renewable energy capacity while supporting major corporations in reducing their carbon footprint, in fact, with 1 239 GWh it’s also the largest wind farm with private off takers in the world, which will provide clean energy to various businesses through a multi-off-taker arrangement.
Phase 1 of Overberg Wind Farm, which started construction in March 2025, is projected to generate 750GWh of clean energy annually for Richards Bay Minerals (RBM). Phase 2 will introduce an additional 158MW nameplate capacity for Discovery Green, facilitating renewable power distribution to clients such as Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats), Fortress Real Estate Investments, and Balwin Properties via wheeling mechanisms. The second phase is expected to produce over 489GWh per year.
Upon completion, Overberg Wind Farm will feature 54 Goldwind GWH182/6.2MW turbines and nine Goldwind GWH182/7.2MW turbines, delivering a total installed capacity of 399.9MW.
Weekend Argus