SOLA Group has reached financial close and commenced construction on its Naos 1 hybrid solar and battery project, a 300 MW solar facility with 435 MWp of installed capacity and 660 MWh of battery energy storage. The project is located near Viljoenskroon in the Free State and is backed by long term power purchase agreements with Sasol and Air Liquide.
The project represents a significant development in South Africa’s private power market. It is the first utility scale solar PV and battery energy storage plant purpose built to wheel electricity across the national grid to private end users. By combining large scale solar generation with battery storage, the project is designed to address peak demand periods and improve supply reliability.
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Unlike traditional renewable energy projects that deliver power only when the sun is shining, the hybrid configuration allows solar energy to be stored during the day and dispatched during peak evening demand. This provides Sasol and Air Liquide with a stable supply of clean energy at competitive tariffs while supporting grid stability.
Naos 1 is being developed, designed, implemented and will be operated by SOLA Group. It is the largest privately contracted hybrid renewable energy project to reach financial close in South Africa to date. Commercial operation is targeted for 2028.
Jonathan Skeen, Managing Director Commercial at SOLA Group, says the project is a major step forward for dispatchable renewable energy in the private sector. He adds that the collaboration with Sasol and Air Liquide reflects SOLA Group’s strategy of converting solar power into affordable on demand energy, with a longer term objective of reaching 2 GW of solar capacity and 5 GWh of storage by 2030.
The project is supported by South African financial institutions, including the Development Bank of Southern Africa, and was developed in close collaboration with the two off takers. Katherine Persson, Managing Director of SOLA Assets, notes that reaching financial close on schedule for a project of this scale and complexity demonstrates SOLA Group’s ability to deliver large clean energy projects on time and within budget.
From the off taker perspective, the project forms part of Sasol’s broader transformation towards a more sustainable energy portfolio. Dr Sarushen Pillay, Executive Vice President for Business Building, Strategy and Technology at Sasol, describes the 300 MW project as a key milestone in the company’s transition strategy.
Air Liquide also highlights the strategic importance of the development. Nicolas Poirot, CEO for Africa, the Middle East and India, says the hybrid solution sets a new benchmark for reliable renewable energy at scale and supports the decarbonisation of the company’s oxygen production operations in South Africa.
Naos 1 is the first in a pipeline of hybrid solar and battery projects being developed by SOLA Group. The company has a further 600 MW of similar projects at an advanced stage of development. With more than 1 GW of projects in operation and construction, SOLA Group positions itself at the forefront of modernising and decarbonising South Africa’s power system.
Project information
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
January 27, 2026
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