How wind power grew in South Africa
Eskom put up three demonstration turbines at Klipheuwel in 2002, totalling 3 MW, and decommissioned them from July 2016. The privately developed Darling farm followed. It has four 1.3 MW Fuhrländer turbines and 5.2 MW, and after a generating licence in 2002 it began producing power in May 2008.
The REIPPPP auctions, launched in 2011, built most of the fleet. Average wind bid prices fell from 114 to 62 cents/kWh over the first four rounds. Eskom then declined to sign further contracts, and no power purchase agreements were signed from 2014 to 2018. The sixth round, in 2022, procured no wind. Private buyers now drive building: of about 3 GW under construction in October 2025, about 2.3 GW was for private customers. Owners include Enel Green Power, Engie, Red Rocket, EDF Renewables and Globeleq, and operating auction projects carry 8.4% community ownership.
South Africa had 3,897 MW of wind in 40 farms in October 2025. Auction wind farms generated 11,040 GWh in 2025, and all wind supplied about 4.7% of electricity. Grid space is the main limit, because the Eastern and Western Cape have reached full wind connection capacity. IRP 2025, gazetted on 28 October 2025, plans about 7,340 MW of new wind by 2030 and 34,000 MW of onshore wind by 2039.
Sources: ITWeb · SAWEA · University of Cape Town · SolarQuarter · Ember · NTCSA · Government of South Africa · International Trade Administration
Where South Africa's power comes from, 2025
| Source | Share of electricity |
|---|---|
| Coal | 81.4% |
| Solar | 8.0% |
| Wind | 4.7% |
| Nuclear | 4.2% |
| Hydro | 0.8% |
| Other fossil fuels | 0.8% |
| Bioenergy | 0.2% |
Wind farms in South Africa
We track 76 wind farms in South Africa: 4.4 GW operating and 6.6 GW under construction, consented or planned, with 0.8 GW of it offshore. Each one's owners, turbines and status are in the Wind app.
Electricity data: Ember yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0). Wind farms: national registers and Global Energy Monitor; see data sources.
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