The University of Cape Town (UCT) has signed a long-term renewable electricity supply agreement with Discovery Green, becoming what the parties describe as the first public higher education institution in South Africa to conclude a long-term power purchase agreement with an energy trader.
Under the agreement, Discovery Green will supply renewable electricity equivalent to between 70% and 90% of the electricity consumption of UCT’s main and health sciences campuses for just under 10 years from the third quarter of 2027.
According to Discovery Green, the arrangement is expected to reduce the university’s carbon emissions by about 33 200 t of CO₂ equivalent a year. The agreement follows a pilot project in which renewable electricity was supplied through the Ampli Energy joint venture established by Discovery Green and Sasol in 2025.
The deal adds UCT to a growing number of organisations procuring renewable electricity through wheeling arrangements. Discovery Green says it currently manages wheeled renewable energy supply for more than 50 organisations.
Discovery Green CEO Andre Nepgen said long-term energy procurement has become an increasingly important strategic consideration for large organisations operating in a constrained and evolving electricity environment.
For UCT, the agreement provides a way to increase its use of renewable electricity despite limitations on further on-site generation.
UCT’s Director of Environmental Sustainability Manfred Braune said the university’s ability to expand on-site renewable energy generation is constrained by the nature of its campus infrastructure.
“With the many old heritage buildings on most of its campuses, UCT has limited roof space that it can add solar PV onto, meaning that we have to look off-campus to increase our purchase of renewable energy,” Braune said.
