Discovery Green, a Discovery Limited business, in partnership with global energy company Sasol, in May announced the launch of Ampli Energy – a market-first month-to-month renewable energy product that offers South African businesses, big or small, immediate access to green energy at scale through the national grid.

From left: Sarushen Pillay, Executive Vice President of Sasol’s Business Building, Strategy and Technology, Adrian Gore, Discovery Group Chief Executive, Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Sasol President and CEO Simon Baloyi, Andre Nepgen, Head of Discovery Green.  [Source: Sasol] 

With monthly savings, no upfront costs, and flexible, penalty-free cancellation, Ampli Energy is presented as a no-fee, no-risk, no-hassle solution for businesses looking to cut emissions and electricity costs.

“Renewable energy has grown rapidly in recent years, driven by businesses adopting on-site electricity generation primarily through solar technology,” said Andre Nepgen, Head of Discovery Green. “While this has been beneficial, many businesses do not have the capital and land space for on-site installations to meet most of their electricity needs.”

Wheeling electricity generated at wind and solar farms in resource-rich parts of the country, through the national grid, to supply businesses wherever they are located, allows businesses to access renewable energy through their existing electricity connection without investing in additional infrastructure. However, securing a long-term PPA (power purchase agreement) and wheeling energy has thus far been limited to large-scale energy users, like mines, with the capital, scale and long-term energy outlook needed to negotiate complex power purchase agreements.

Ampli Energy is changing that. Through simple, month-to-month membership, any business anywhere in the country can replace most of the electricity it uses with renewable energy already flowing through the national grid, reducing carbon emissions without upfront capital requirements, installations or long-term contracts. Significantly, Ampli Energy pays businesses to run on renewable energy, with monthly cashback paid directly into their bank accounts, and they can cancel at any time with just 30 days' notice and without penalties.

Since it was launched in 2023, Discovery Green has continued to grow its renewable energy product offering through its wheeling platform, enabling blue-chip clients such as Implats, Fortress and Balwin Properties to access price-certain clean energy at scale.

“Ampli Energy builds on the innovative wheeling platform of Discovery Green to unlock further access to renewable energy for businesses that need it most – from corporates to SMMEs and NGOs – which until now have been excluded from South Africa’s energy market due to their size.  For these businesses that cannot commit to long-term purchasing agreements, month-to-month flexibility is critical, and Ampli Energy allows them also to reap the financial and environmental benefits of decarbonising their operations,” said Nepgen.

With over seven decades of expertise in energy production, Sasol has consistently driven innovation in energy generation and it brings its experience to the partnership.

Last year, the ACED-IDEAS-Reatile Msenge Emoyeni Wind Farm (Msenge) reached commercial operation. This is the first large-scale renewable energy project from which Sasol has secured long-term offtake. Located in Bedford, Eastern Cape, the 69 MW wind farm is one of the fastest constructed renewable energy projects by the IPP consortium, including African Clean Energy Developments (ACED), which is African Infrastructure Investment Managers’ (AIIM) development and delivery platform, the AIIM-managed IDEAS Fund, and the Reatile Group. It is already supplying electricity wheeled through the national grid to Sasolburg Operations in the Free State.

Together, Discovery Green and Sasol have committed over 450 MWh per year of renewable energy generation capacity – representing a R1.8 billion to R2.5 billion investment – to Ampli Energy, which will be delivered to businesses in tranches.

“The launch of Ampli Energy marks a strategic shift where Sasol moves beyond being a major energy consumer to become an aggregator and trader of renewable electrons. South Africa is blessed with some of the world's finest wind and solar resources. This will allow us to increase our renewable energy ambitions by enabling the sale of excess energy to a broad customer base. It is a win for the country because it accelerates the energy transition and creates access for smaller customers to green electricity,” said Sarushen Pillay, Executive Vice President of Sasol’s Business Building, Strategy and Technology.

The first tranche of renewable energy capacity is fully subscribed, with a growing number of businesses, including Nando’s, NetFlorist, Hatfield Motors, Sealand Gear, selected Sasol Garages, and several NGOs, such as Reach for a Dream and Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Hospital, signing up. These businesses are drawn by the simplicity of the model and its environmental impact.

“Ampli Energy is revolutionary. It represents a sea change in green energy and illustrates what can be achieved when two of South Africa’s marquee brands come together. We must ensure we unshackle the potential of the economy by addressing energy security, democratising access to green electrons and achieving environmental sustainability. Ampli can help us meet our responsibility to the South African economy and consumers to provide energy that is clean, available, and affordable,” said Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.

For more information visit: https://www.sasol.com/