Renewable energy development driving change in Nelson Mandela Bay

The Parsons Power Park team at the ground-breaking ceremony

Parsons Power Park is being developed by independent power producers Yellow Door Energy, Raw Renewables and Natura Energy, with Alensy Energy Solutions as the EPC partner. The project achieved financial close in February 2026.

John Taylor, head of Large C&I and M&A at Yellow Door Energy, said: “We’re excited to reach the ground-breaking milestone at Parsons Power Park. Once completed, the project will supply renewable electricity to businesses in the Coega SEZ and across Nelson Mandela Bay, wheeled through NMB’s municipal grid. Together with our partners, we are contributing to South Africa’s energy transition by creating jobs, reducing electricity costs and strengthening energy security.”

Jaco Diedericks, CEO of Raw Renewables, said: “Reaching the ground-breaking phase of Parsons Power Park is the result of disciplined development work and strong collaboration across the partner team. Wheeled solar projects of this scale are central to giving South African businesses a real, lower-cost alternative on energy supply, and we’re proud to be helping deliver that for Nelson Mandela Bay.”

Ezio Vernetti, managing director of Natura Energy, said: “Parsons Power Park is more than a generation asset – it’s a vote of confidence in South Africa’s clean energy future. Together with our partners, we are delivering a project that will reduce energy costs for businesses, support local jobs, and contribute meaningfully to a more resilient and sustainable national grid.”

Norbert Dörgeloh, managing director of Alensy Energy Solutions, said: “Breaking ground on Parsons Power Park marks the start of an exciting build phase. With nearly two decades of experience constructing solar PV plants across Southern Africa, our team is fully focused on delivering this project safely, on time, and to the highest engineering standards. We are proud to bring our expertise to a flagship installation in Nelson Mandela Bay.”

During construction, the project will support local job creation and prioritise local contractors through a structured community programme.

More than 47,000 solar panels will be installed on single-axis trackers, following the path of the sun to maximise energy generation throughout the day. Once completed, the project is expected to generate around 60 GWh of renewable energy, avoiding approximately 54,360 tonnes of carbon emissions.

Spanning 58 hectares, Parsons Power Park is expected to come online in Q1 2027 and will supply wheeled renewable electricity to large energy users within the Nelson Mandela Municipal network. PowerX is the offtaker, with a power purchase agreement already in place. POWERX is the first private sector electricity trader in South Africa to be licensed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), with more than a decade of experience in trading renewable energy.

The project team also includes 3E Renewable Energy Services as Owner’s Engineer, SRK Consulting as Environmental Compliance advisor and Engineering Advice & Services as Construction Health and Safety Agent.

As electricity wheeling continues to grow in South Africa, projects like Parsons Power Park are helping businesses access clean energy beyond their own premises and supporting the country’s shift to a more sustainable energy future.