On 9-12 February 2026, key names in the African mining industry will descend on Cape Town for this year’s Mining Indaba – addressing needs, exploring opportunities, and creating solutions in the sector and its affiliated businesses. At the heart of these discussions will be the growing demand for renewable energy: from generation and trading to reliable supply, all critical to sustaining operations and ensuring business continuity.

Affordable, reliable energy has become one of the defining strategic issues for the mining sector in Africa, with mines being among the most energy-intensive operations on the continent. They are increasingly exposed to grid instability, rising electricity costs, and tighter environmental expectations from investors and customers. As a result, energy security is no longer a support function for mining operations, but a core determinant of operational resilience and long-term competitiveness.

It is against this backdrop that independent power producers (IPPs) and energy innovators across the continent are stepping up to meet the challenge. Among them, Red Rocket’s role is increasingly vital. With projects across Africa, the company recognises the need for large energy off-takers to secure reliable, affordable energy while reducing their carbon footprint and meeting their decarbonation targets.

While bilateral power purchase agreements (PPAs) have played a critical role in accelerating private renewables development, many large energy users are now seeking more flexible arrangements. Mining operations often have variable demand profiles, multiple sites, and changing operational needs over time. This is driving a shift toward portfolio-based energy solutions that combine generation, optimisation, and trading rather than relying on a single dedicated asset.

In December, Red Rocket was granted an electricity trading licence by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), significantly expanding its business offering to operate as a direct participant in buying and selling electricity across key players. While the last few years have seen a shift in businesses directly approaching IPPs to procure renewable power from a dedicated facility by developers such as Red Rocket through bilateral PPAs, this licence makes Red Rocket a through-the-line partner to address the broad electricity need.

Davide Pasi, Business Development Director at Red Rocket, said: “Red Rocket has a competitive edge to provide power from our generation capacity assets – that being wind, solar, small-hydro, and battery energy storage systems, meeting customers’ generation profiles with the flexibility approach of the traders.”

He added that this was possible through addressing the generation profile of mines and providing a tailored solution from a portfolio of multi-technology assets to maximise savings for the clients. “This is possible because of the multilayered strategy that is supported by a multi-gigawatt generation portfolio,” he said.

Red Rocket has a proven track record and trusted expertise in multi-technology energy generation through its robust 5.3GW portfolio – this includes both the REIPPPP and the commercial and industrial (C&I) market. Coming from a successful Bid Window 7 of the REIPPPP, six solar projects were awarded to the company headquartered in Cape Town, all with a total capacity of 1 402MWp.

Three of Red Rocket’s projects in the C&I market are in active construction, boasting a nameplate capacity of 839MW. Witberg Wind Farm, (108MW, developed in collaboration with Sibanye-Stillwater), Overberg Wind Farm (400MW, developed with mining company Richards Bay Minerals, part of Rio Tinto, and Discovery Green), and Tournee Solar Park (331MWp, developed with Discovery Green) are a prelude to an expanded approach to how energy is developed, managed, and delivered to large energy users. The expected gross emissions avoided for the projects amount to approximately 2.3 million tonnes of CO₂e annually.

Decarbonisation pressures are particularly acute in the mining sector. Global customers, financiers, and regulators are increasingly scrutinising the carbon intensity of mined products, while access to capital is becoming more closely linked to credible energy transition strategies. As a result, renewable energy procurement is increasingly tied to broader ESG commitments and long-term licence-to-operate considerations.

This, Pasi said, means Red Rocket’s ability to draw from a diverse range of energy sources, makes its presence in the market not only necessary, but crucial.

Alongside Red Rocket’s trading licence, the company has recently strengthened its capabilities with the addition of a dedicated sales team, led by Head of Sales, Dejean Nicholson. This growth positions Red Rocket to deliver tailored offerings directly to businesses of varying energy needs.

As the mining industry gathers at the Mining Indaba, the direction is clear – securing reliable, affordable, and renewable energy is now central to the sector’s future growth in Africa. Solutions that combine scale, flexibility, and execution capability will play a critical role in enabling mines to operate competitively while meeting evolving environmental and stakeholder expectations.

Red Rocket is offering bold solutions in a rapidly changing sector that powers much of the continent’s heartbeat. For more information, please contact: givemepower@redrocket.energy