Wheeling Electricity
in South Africa
Understanding PPAs, Power Trading & Renewable Energy Wheeling
Apollo Africa connects businesses to renewable electrcity through the national grid using renewable energy wheeling, power trading and structured PPAs.
For many South African businesses, accessing renewable energy directly can be complex. Power purchase agreements often require significant electricity volumes, long-term commitments and specialist commercial structuring. Apollo Africa helps bridge this gap through licensed power trading, demand aggregation and renewable energy wheeling.
By aggregating demand from multiple customers and contracting supply from a diversified portfolio of renewable energy projects, Apollo Africa structures renewable power supply in quantities aligned to each customer’s requirements and delivers that energy through the national grid via electricity wheeling.
What is
Electricity Wheeling
Electricity Wheeling is the process of delivering electricity generated in one location to a customer in another location through the national power grid. In South Africa, wheeling allows businesses to access green energy from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) without needing the generation facility to be located on-site.
Through wheeling, electricity continues to flow through the existing grid infrastructure, while the renewable energy value is measured, allocated, and settled through approved metering and billing processes. This enables businesses to procure green energy through a structured Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) while maintaining operational continuity.
Renewable Generation
Electricity is generated by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and fed into the national grid.
National Grid
Electricity flows through the existing grid infrastructure.
Apollo Africa
We aggregate demand, structure PPAs and allocate renewable energy to our customers.
Your Business
Electricity is delivered to your business location through the grid.
What is a
Power purchase agreement
A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is a long-term contract for the purchase of electricity from a renewable electricity supplier. In Apollo Africa’s model, a commercial or industrial customer enters into a structured renewable energy supply agreement, with Apollo sourcing electricity from a portfolio of wind, solar or other renewable generation assets.
The PPA sets out the agreed supply volumes, pricing structure, contract term, settlement approach and delivery obligations. For businesses, this creates a clearer route to green energy procurement, long-term electricity price certainty and reduced Scope 2 emissions.
Optimised For Business Demand
Aggregating Renewable Energy Supply
Accessing renewable energy through a direct agreement with a single generator can be complex, particularly where customer demand does not match the size, profile or availability of a single renewable energy project.
As a licensed electricity trader and aggregator, Apollo Africa helps bridge this gap by sourcing renewable energy solutions from Tier 1 IPPs and structuring supply around customer demand. This gives businesses a more practical route to green energy today, while supporting future participation in a more open and competitive electricity market.
By combining supply from multiple generation assets, Apollo Africa can improve load matching, reduce reliance on a single project and support long-term cost visibility, ESG reporting and energy security.
Why Wheeling Matters
For South African businesses
Wheeling gives businesses a practical route to access renewable energy without installing generation assets at every site. This is especially valuable for companies with large electricity consumption, multiple operating locations, ESG targets or exposure to future carbon-related costs.
For commercial and industrial energy users, wheeling can support:
Reduced Scope 2
emissions and stronger sustainability reporting
Simplified access
to long-term renewable energy supply agreements
Verified green energy
supply through the existing grid
Long-term
electricity price certainty
Renewable energy
procurement without on-site generation facilities
How it works
Renewable Energy wheeling with Apollo Africa
01.
Generate
Renewable electricity is produced by a diversified portfolio of renewable energy projects located in high-yield regions across South Africa. These projects feed electricity into the national grid.
02.
Measure
Apollo Africa measures renewable generation and customer electricity consumption using digital smart metering and approved reconciliation processes.
03.
Allocate and Deliver
Apollo aggregates renewable generation and allocates supply to your business based on your contracted volumes and consumption profile. Electricity is delivered through the existing grid infrastructure.
04.
Settle and Report
Your renewable energy allocation is reflected through your electricity account and supported by I-RECs, giving your business auditable proof of renewable energy consumption and Scope 2 emissions reduction.
Carbon Pressure Is Becoming a Commercial Energy Risk
For many South African businesses, carbon exposure isn’t a sustainability issue anymore/ It’s becoming a commercial risk linked to energy procurement, export competitiveness, operational costs and long-term reporting requirements.
As carbon pricing, disclosure requirements and supply-chain expectations continue to evolve, businesses need clearer ways to manage their electricity-related emissions and demonstrate progress against decarbonization goals.
Where Carbon Pressure is Showing Up
South African businesses are increasingly exposed to carbon-related pressure across three key areas:
On-site fuel use
Mines, manufacturers and industrial operators that burn fuel on-site are already exposed to carbon tax and mandatory carbon budget requirements. Businesses that exceed mandatory carbon budgets may face higher penalty rates.
Grid electricity consumption
Every business buying electricity from South Africa’s grid is exposed to Scope 2 emissions. While there is currently no direct carbon tax line item on electricity bills, carbon-related generation costs are expected to become a greater tariff consideration from 2031.
Export and supply-chain requirements
Businesses exporting into carbon-regulated markets, particularly the European Union, may face growing pressure to account for embedded carbon in their products. CBAM increases the importance of credible emissions reduction and auditable carbon reporting.
Long-term Mindset
How Apollo Africa
Helps Businesses Respond
Apollo Africa helps businesses respond to carbon pressure by structuring renewable energy supply agreements that support long-term price certainty, cleaner electricity procurement, and future energy cost management.
Through wheeled renewable energy supply, businesses can reduce reliance on carbon-intensive grid electricity while maintaining operational reliability through the national grid.
This gives your business a practical way to manage electricity-related carbon exposure while building a more resilient long-term energy strategy.
Apollo Africa
Verified Renewable Energy
Through I-RECs
All electricity supplied by Apollo Africa is bundled with International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-RECs). These certificates provide verified proof that the electricity consumed by your business is matched with renewable energy generation.
I-RECs support credible Scope 2 emissions reporting and help businesses demonstrate progress against ESG, sustainability and decarbonisation goals.
Together, wheeled renewable energy and I-RECs give businesses both cleaner electricity supply and the documentation needed to support emissions reporting.
Your Questions Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
Wheeling electricity in South Africa refers to the delivery and financial allocation of electricity generated in one location to a customer in another location through the national grid.
A Power Purchase Agreement is a contract that defines how a business buys electricity from a renewable energy supplier, including price, volume, term and settlement structure.
Yes. Through wheeling and power trading, businesses can access renewable energy generated off-site and delivered through the grid.
Traditional wheeling involves physical delivery and settlement through the grid, while virtual wheeling allocates renewable energy value through financial settlement. The introduction deck explains traditional and virtual wheeling separately, including their settlement and grid-dependency differences.
Yes. I-RECs provide verified proof that electricity consumption has been matched with renewable energy generation, supporting Scope 2 emissions reporting.
Yes, wheeling and virtual wheeling can support businesses with multiple sites, depending on connection type, consumption profile, grid arrangements and commercial feasibility.