Yellow Door Energy, Nedbank CIB Reach Financial Close on 49 MWp Lion Thorn Solar Park in South Africa

Yellow Door Energy and Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (Nedbank CIB) have achieved financial close on 49 MWp Lion Thorn Solar Park in Leeudoringstad, North West, South Africa.

Nedbank CIB is providing financing for the utility-scale solar project, enabling construction to proceed. The project has secured long-term power purchase agreements with PPC and POWERX, a private electricity trader licensed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). Once operational, the solar park is expected to generate approximately 115 GWh of renewable electricity annually in its first year and avoid an estimated 104,190 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. Construction is scheduled to start in September 2026, with commissioning expected in 2028.

Once commissioned, Lion Thorn Solar Park will add new renewable generation capacity to South Africa's electricity system, which will help diversify the country's energy supply and support growing demand for reliable electricity.