Financial services provider Sanlam has unveiled a 3 MW solar PV plant at its Bellville head office, in Cape Town.

The installation powers Sanlam’s Bellville campus, which significantly reduces its reliance on the national grid, but is also designed to feed surplus energy back into the grid in the near future, thereby contributing to South Africa’s broader energy resilience goals.

By removing approximately 6.2-million kilowatt-hours a year of energy demand from the grid, the solar PV system will make a tangible environmental impact, Sanlam says.

The installation also has three electric vehicle charging stations, with the energy obtained from the solar PV system.

The solar plant reflects Sanlam’s commitment to advancing renewable-energy adoption and supporting the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

The solar PV plant is not an energy project, but part of a wider effort to reduce Sanlam’s environmental footprint and demonstrate how large corporate companies can support national goals to transition to renewable energy, the company says.

“We are currently conducting feasibility studies to deploy similar projects at other Sanlam-owned buildings,” adds Sanlam chief sustainability officer Abel Sakhau.

“Our head office, which houses more than 40% of our full-time office staff, is now powered largely by clean energy. This investment reflects our continued commitment to sustainability and our determination to play our part in creating a greener, more resilient South Africa.

“Sustainable energy solutions are pivotal to our purpose to empower all generations to be financially confident, secure and prosperous,” he says.

Further, Sanlam’s Energy and Water Management Programme is steered by its group-wide energy management forum. This forum tracks consumption, explores renewable-energy integration, and ensures alignment with South African energy performance regulations.

The group has introduced a sustainability strategic dashboard to monitor targets and drive ongoing progress, Sakhau notes.