During South Africa's 2023 energy crisis, Nelson Mandela University's campuses went dark for nearly a third of the year. When the power went out, the university burned 6,000 litres of diesel a day — at a staggering R150,000 daily cost just to keep the lights on. That unsustainable burden became the spark for one of the boldest clean-energy plans any African university has announced.
By May 2027, Mandela University aims to source 80% of its electricity from renewable energy. The strategy rests on two pillars: a 10-year agreement with Etana Energy, and a new solar array of more than 8,500 panels generating 4.4 megawatts on campus. Dr. Andre Hefer, the university's Sustainability Engineer, expects roughly 50% to 55% of its power to come from Etana, with the solar platform adding another 25% to 30%.
The numbers tell a story of smart economics, not just idealism. The university currently spends about R60 million a year on electricity. Under the Etana deal, it expects to save between R2 million and R2.5 million annually, with prices tied to consumer inflation rather than Eskom's steeper projected increases. The solar panels should add another R8 million to R10 million in yearly savings — meaningful relief for a sector wrestling with tight budgets and rising costs.
The environmental payoff is equally striking: together, these changes will cut the university's carbon emissions by an estimated 12,000 tonnes every year)SkipNow — a significant contribution from a major public institution that serves the community first.
But this isn't just about one university. Melvin Syce, ISSO Senior Director, explains that the 2023 outages — when diesel costs threatened to sink the budget — forced the search for a truly resilient model. The move also radiates outward. From May 2027, Etana will wheel renewable electricity through the Eskom grid, and Mandela University is part of a collective of large electricity users exploring shared solutions for the Nelson Mandela Bay region. As Hefer points out, universities can anchor new clean-energy investment just as powerfully as mines and heavy industry.
The plan aligns with South Africa's Integrated Resource Plan 2025 and the Renewable Energy Masterplan, both of which put renewables at the centre of the country's long-term energy future. Mandela University's investment is less a response to crisis than a blueprint for it.
In a nation where energy insecurity continues to hold back growth, this is a glimpse of what happens when public institutions plan for the future rather than the next outage. "Our investment in renewable energy takes the University forward in a very positive, more sustainable and financially responsible way of powering our campuses," Syce says. "We hope our experience can inspire similar models at other universities."