Independent power producer (IPP)Yellow Door Energy in September announced that it had broken ground on the 49 MWp Lion Thorn Solar Park, near Leeudoringstad in the Maquassi Hills Local Municipality, in the North West province. The milestone marks the project’s transition from financial close into construction, with commissioning and commercial operation expected in 2028.

Chinese State-owned energy conglomerate PowerChina has been appointed as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor responsible for delivering the solar park, bringing “extensive international experience” in renewable-energy construction.

Once operational, Lion Thorn Solar Park will supply clean electricity to offtakers through solar wheeling. The project has secured power purchase agreements with South African cement and construction materials producer PPC, as part of PPC’s strategy to build a greener, more sustainable business by increasing its use of renewable energy and reducing its carbon footprint, and licensed electricity trader POWERX.

Yellow Door group CEO Jeremy Crane said: “Lion Thorn Solar Park demonstrates the important role of collaboration, bringing together private investment, international expertise and local knowledge to support South Africa’s Just Energy Transition. By working together, we can help businesses strengthen energy security and expand access to reliable, cost-competitive clean electricity. At Yellow Door Energy, we remain committed to reducing our own emissions and achieving Net Zero by 2040 as we continue to grow our clean energy portfolio.”

Yellow Door Energy South Africa MD John Taylor added that the groundbreaking marked the “start of an exciting new phase for Lion Thorn Solar Park”. He noted that the IPP looked forward to working closely with PowerChina, local contractors, suppliers and the community to “successfully deliver the project and create meaningful opportunities in the region”. He stressed that, with Yellow Door expanding its wheeling portfolio in South Africa, it looked forward to supporting more businesses with “reliable, competitively priced clean electricity”.

“We are pleased to partner with Yellow Door Energy to build Lion Thorn Solar Park. We bring global experience in utility-scale renewable energy and look forward to working with local contractors, suppliers and skilled workers to deliver the project and support the local community,” PowerChina project representative Jiekun Qin commented.

Lion Thorn Solar Park is expected to generate about 115 GWh of renewable electricity in its first year and to avoid an estimated 104 190 t/y of carbon emissions. The project is also expected to create employment and economic opportunities during construction and operations, with a focus on local jobs, skills and suppliers in the Maquassi Hills and surrounding communities.