Genade Boerdery partners with Solarise Africa and Broad Sky to power its award-winning Northern Cape farm with a 1MWp solar installation marking a bold step toward sustainable agriculture and long-term energy resilience.
- Landmark Installation: Solarise Africa commissions a 1.0868 MWp ground-mounted system at Genade Boerdery – Zuurgat Farm in Hopetown, Northern Cape.
- Significant Impact: The system is projected to save R82.2 million over 15 years and avoid 24,171 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
- Award-Winning Client: Genade Boerdery is one of South Africa’s most respected farms, with accolades including GrainSA Grain Producer of the Year and Top Lucerne Producer.
Hopetown, Northern Cape, SOUTH AFRICA, 15 July 2025 – Solarise Africa is proud to announce the successful commissioning of a 1.0868 MWp ground-mounted solar installation at Genade Boerdery – Zuurgat Farm, located near Hopetown in South Africa’s Northern Cape. This project utilised the Section 12B tax incentive – a high-impact, incentivised solution that supports large-scale agricultural sustainability.
Genade Boerdery is a leading farming operation in the region, with a proud legacy dating back to 1983. Under the stewardship of Oom Vickie and his three sons – Gerhard, Hannes, and Vickie Junior – the farm has flourished into a diversified and award-winning enterprise. Their accolades include GrainSA’s Grain Producer of the Year (2015 & 2018), Top Lucerne Producer, and Farmer of the Year, making them a household name in South Africa’s farming community.
This newly commissioned solar system consists of 1,976 Longi 550W solar modules and 8 Huawei 115kW inverters, forming a robust grid-tied setup designed to maximise reliability and efficiency. Over the course of the 15-year contract, the system is projected to deliver an estimated saving of R82.2 million and avoid approximately 24,171 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, while ensuring long-term energy security for the farm’s irrigation and production operations.
“This project represents the very best of what can be achieved when visionary farmers and innovative energy partners come together,” said Sakkie van Wijk, Co-Founder and COO of Solarise Africa. “It’s a landmark initiative – not only because it is our first 12B product, but because Genade Boerdery exemplifies the kind of leadership and stewardship we need in the agricultural sector as we build towards a sustainable future.”
“We take great pride in partnering with large-scale farming operations that demand the highest standards of quality and precision’, said Cor Wessels, Co-Owner of Broad Sky, who led the origination and construction of the large-scale solar installation. “Working alongside Solarise Africa, we were able to deliver a tailored solar solution that supports the principles of precision farming, leveraging advanced technologies and data-driven systems to enhance productivity and operational efficiency.”
As one of the largest single-site agricultural solar systems in the region and a flagship mega farming operation, this project underscores Solarise Africa and Broad Sky’s unique ability to provide tailored Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) solutions that meet the specific needs of farming operations – without requiring upfront capital outlay. The system supports critical energy loads through a reliable and environmentally friendly setup, demonstrating the significant role renewable energy can play in food security, rural economic resilience, and carbon reduction.
This project was the catalyst for the Idstone Solar VSD project, the second successful collaboration between Solarise Africa and Broad Sky, that was recently commissioned also in the Northern Cape. Read more about that project here.