// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Red Rocket Energy say? I'm fueled by excitement.
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy Renewable energy |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Cape Town, South Africa |
Area served | Africa |
Key people | Matteo Brambilla (CEO) |
| Products | Electricity |
| Services | Energy trading Public EV charging (via Black Tower Energy)[1] |
| Owner | Inspired Evolution funds, and management[2] |
Number of employees | 200+ (2026)[3] |
| Website | redrocket |
Red Rocket Energy is a South African renewable energy company and independent power producer (IPP). Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Cape Town, the company has produced numerous large-scale solar, wind, and hydro power plants in multiple African countries.
The company also operates a network of Public EV chargers, across numerous South African provinces, through its Black Tower Energy joint venture with commercial bank FNB.
History
[edit]The company began in 2012, as the Middle East and African division of Italian independent power producer (IPP) Building Energy. Following a management buyout in 2020, Red Rocket launched as its own independent IPP.[3]
In 2020, Red Rocket obtained US$31.4 million in funding from the Evolution II fund, managed by African clean energy investment firm Inspired Evolution. The renewable energy funding was for projects in South Africa, Zambia, Uganda, Mali, and Eswatini.[4]
In 2023, the company received funding totaling US$46.8 million from the Evolution III fund, by Inspired Evolution. This was for renewable energy infrastructure projects in South Africa, Zambia, Uganda, and Mali.[5] Later that year, it was announced that US$160 million in funding had been obtained from a consortium of investors, including Inspired Evolution, FMO, Stoa, and Bill Kilgore Investments.[6]
Also in 2023, a new public EV charging company, Black Tower Energy, was registered with the CIPC. The records showed that Red Rocket's CEO was one of its directors. The company is a joint venture with South African commercial bank FNB. It began rolling out chargers in 2025.[1]
In October 2025, it was reported that Red Rocket Energy had reached financial close on a R5.2 billion, 300MW solar PV project, called Tournee Solar Park. The project will be built on land leased from Eskom, located near the Tutuka coal power station in Mpumalanga. The plant's off-taker is wheeled renewable energy company Discovery Green. The project is expected to take two years to build, and enter commercial operation in Q4 2027. Red Rocket CEO said Tournee is an example of how public-private partnerships (PPPs) could deliver large-scale renewable projects, as part of South Africa's energy transition.[7][8]
In December 2025, the company secured an energy trading license from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).[3]
That same month, South African Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced the appointment of preferred bidders for four additional solar PV projects, under the seventh bid window of the government's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). This followed the conclusion of value-for-money (VfM) negotiations. The REIPPPP Bid Window 7 had the goal of facilitating the procurement of up to 5,000 MW of renewable energy capacity, which consisted of 1,800 MW of solar PV generation, and 3,200 MW of onshore wind capacity. Three of the four new solar projects went to Red Rocket Energy. These were the Rondebosch Solar Park, Springhaas Solar Facility 1, and Springhaas Solar Facility 6, all of which are located in the Free State.[9]
In June 2026, Red Rocket had reached a total developed renewable capacity of over 22,000MW.[10]
Operations
[edit]Red Rocket's projects include:[11]
| Power station | Technology | Capacity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kruisvallei Hydro Plant | Hydro | 4 MW | Free State, South Africa |
| Tororo Solar North | Solar | 10 MW | Eastern Uganda |
| Kathu Solar PV | Solar | 81 MW | Northern Cape, South Africa |
| Wolf Wind Farm | Wind | 85 MW | Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Witberg Wind Farm | Wind | 108 MW | Western Cape, South Africa |
| Brandvalley Wind Farm | Wind | 144 MW | Western Cape, South Africa |
| Rietkloof Wind Farm | Wind | 144 MW | Western Cape, South Africa |
| Roggeveld Wind Farm | Wind | 147 MW | Western Cape, South Africa |
| Virginia Solar Park | Solar | 275 MW | Free State, South Africa |
| Tournee Solar Park | Solar | 300 MW | Mpumalanga, South Africa |
| Overberg Wind Farm | Wind | 400 MW | Western Cape, South Africa |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 Hanno Labuschagne (21 June 2026). "Big bank and large private power company begin electric car charging station rollout in South Africa". MyBroadband. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "Red Rocket Energy - Company". Red Rocket Energy. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 Red Rocket Energy (24 April 2026). "Red Rocket: A force of nature". Mining Weekly. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "Evolution II fund". Inspired Evolution. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "Evolution III fund". Inspired Evolution. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ Terence Creamer (14 October 2025). "R5.2bn Red Rocket solar park first and only project to emerge from Eskom's land lease scheme". Engineering News. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "Discovery Green concludes its first renewable energy project agreement with Red Rocket". Discovery Green. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ Tasneem Bulbulia (15 December 2025). "Ramokgopa announces four new solar PV projects under REIPPP Bid Window 7". Engineering News. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ Mariaan Webb (17 June 2026). "Red Rocket sees opportunity in next phase of energy market evolution". Engineering News. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "Red Rocket Energy - Projects". Red Rocket Energy. Retrieved 6 August 2026.