RustMo1 marks decade of clean energy production, pioneering South Africa's renewable landscape

Celebrating a significant milestone, the RustMo1 Solar Project commemorates ten years of operation, marking its foundational role as South Africa’s pioneering renewable energy project under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REI4P).

As the first renewable energy venture developed through South Africa’s extensive renewables tender program, RustMo1, boasting a capacity of 7 megawatts (MW), has annually generated approximately 12.5 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity. This production capacity has significantly powered numerous low-income homes, serving as a cornerstone in South Africa’s energy transition efforts and addressing the prevailing energy crisis.

The project’s success serves as a blueprint for a successful clean energy private-public partnership model in Africa. Momentous Energy initially developed RustMo1 and later partnered with Reatile Renewables. The site, situated 22 kilometers from Rustenburg across 19 hectares, operates under JUWI Renewable Energies South Africa, in collaboration with national utility Eskom and the IPP Office. Funding for the project was facilitated by The Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC) and Nedbank.

JUWI’s commitment continues as the project enters its next decade, projecting an additional 110 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy generation, significantly reducing carbon emissions by around 66,000 tonnes, equivalent to nearly 24 million litres of diesel consumed.