Editor’s Note: This story is part of a special focus on South Africa and how it is shaping the future and paving the way for the rest of the continent.
Story highlights
Six regional airports in South Africa will be half powered by the sun by the end of this year
The long-term plan is to have the airports generate their own energy
CNN
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Often in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by acres of land, South Africa’s airport environs are solar farms waiting to happen.
With over 2,500 hours of sunshine per year in South Africa, it makes perfect sense for the country’s airports to tap into this local resource.
In the last year Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has unveiled three solar-powered airports across the country, the first on the African continent to harness solar power.
By the end of this year three more regional airports will join the green initiative by launching solar power plants.
View this interactive content on CNN.com
The state-owned ACSA told CNN over email that it is committed to reducing the pressure on South Africa’s constrained power grid by around 50%.
This is because the solar farms currently supply approximately 45% of the airport’s power requirement. The remaining 55% is drawn from the national grid.
“The long-term plan is to have the airports generate their own energy,” says ACSA corporate affairs senior manager, Senzeni Ndebele.
The company intends to “greenify” all its airports and achieve carbon neutrality by 2025, Ndebele explains.
courtesy South African Tourism
The Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga: Claimed to be the world's largest green canyon, the reserve is home to a 33-kilometer gorge, abundant wildlife and dramatic landscapes. God's Window along the Panorama Route is one of the best viewpoints in the 29,000-hectare reserve.
courtesy South African Tourism
Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal: A resort town north of Durban, Umhlanga boasts a three-kilometer-long promenade with gardens, swimming and surf beaches and the famous Umlanga Lighthouse.
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Table Mountain, Cape Town: While other cities have skyscrapers to be lit up for special occasions, Cape Town has Table Mountain. The flat-topped mountain is arguably the most iconic and beloved landmark in the city.
Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Stellenbosch, the Cape Winelands: Sitting in the heart of the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch's vineyards are surrounded by towering mountains. Stellenbosch claims to have the only new grape variety created outside Europe -- a grape variety called Pinotage created by a professor at Stellenbosch University.
ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Jacaranda season in Pretoria or Johannesburg: In late October to early November every year, there are few things more beautiful than the purple blossoms spilling from the trees across the city.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Kruger National Park, Limpopo: Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in South Africa, spanning 19,000 square kilometers. The famous safari park is also a great place to have your first encounter with the big-five beasts -- elephants, lions, buffalo, rhinos and leopards.
NICO ROETS/Flickr/CC by 2.0
Johannesburg during sunsets: No matter how familiar you are with Johannesburg, sunset views over the city are still breathtaking every time -- especially from the top of the Ponte, in Delta Park or across the Mandela Bridge. (NICO ROETS/Flickr/CC by 2.0)
JON CONNELL/Flickr/CC by 2.0
Bourke's Luck Potholes, Mpumulanga: A part of the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, the potholes are carved out by centuries of river activity. A number of vantage points and bridges are built over some of the most beautiful sections. (JON CONNELL/Flickr/CC by 2.0)
ANNA ZIEMINSKI/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Hermanus, Western Cape: Between July and November, the waters near Hermanus become the mating and breeding grounds for Southern Right Whales, making it one of the world's best whale watching spots.
courtesy South African Tourism
Chapman's Peak Drive, Cape Town: Affectionately nicknamed "Chappies" by local residents, Chapman's Peak Drive is a nine-kilometer scenic and curvy -- with 114 bends -- stretch of road from Hout Bay to Noordhoek.
courtesy South African Tourism
Tugela River, KwaZulu-Natal: Originating in the Drakensberg Mountains, The Tugela River is the largest in the KwaZulu-Natal province. At times a rocky stream and at times a broad river, the Tugela recalls scenes of the American West, except for the hippos.
courtesy South African Tourism
Robben Island, Western Cape: Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, the former political and criminal prison island is packed with history. A standard tour around Robben Island takes around four hours. A short ferry ride from Cape Town, the island also offers another viewpoint of the city.
PAUL KELLER/Flickr/CC by 2.0
De Hoop Nature Reserve, Overberg: This family-friendly nature reserve is an ideal place for hiking, cycling and whale watching. It's also home to mesmerizing sand dunes that lead to the azure ocean. (PAUL KELLER/Flickr/CC by 2.0)
courtesy South African Tourism
Namaqualand, Northern Cape: In September, the desert across Namaqualand is blanketed with endless fields of colorful blossoms.
courtesy South African Tourism
Augrabies Falls National Park: The arid Augrabies Falls National Park is home to the Orange River Gorge and the 56-meter Augrabies Waterfall. It's especially impressive when it's in full flood -- the local Khoi people called the waterfall Aukoerebis, or Great Noise.
courtesy South African Tourism
Amphitheatre, Drakensberg, Kwa-Zulu Natal: Amphiteatre is a near perfect symmetrical rock wall rising 1,200 meters from the Tugela Valley. The most notable feature among Drakensberg mountains, Amphitheatre offers challenging hiking trails for experienced hikers.
Courtesy Constitution Hill
Constitution Court, Johannesburg: A former prison that once held Mandela and Gandhi now houses the nation's highest court, surrounded by an art gallery and museum that explores the site's history and the implications of significant rulings -- like the right to housing, and the right to anti-AIDS drugs. The ramparts of the old barracks offer some of the best views of Johannesburg.
PAUL SCOTT/Flickr/CC by SA 2.0
Silvermine Nature Reserve, Cape Town: Part of the Table Mountain National Park, Silvermine Nature Reserve is a favorite backyard garden for residents of Cape Town. It's famous for its indigenous fynbos species and boasts plenty of picnic and braai spots. (PAUL SCOTT/Flickr/CC by SA 2.0)
SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM/Flickr/CC by 2.0
Valley of Desolation, Graaff-Reinet: The valley inside the Camdeboo National Park is famous for its cliffs and natural Dolerite rock columns rising as high as 120 meters above ground. (SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM/Flickr/CC by 2.0)
DARREN GLANVILLE/Flickr/CC by SA 2.0
Mandela Capture Site, KwaZulu-Natal: Mandela Capture Site is a sculpture with steel columns up to 9.5 meters tall, marking the site where the former president was taken into custody. The surrounding landscape is stunning, too. (DARREN GLANVILLE/Flickr/CC by SA 2.0)
courtesy South African Tourism
Cango Caves, Western Cape: The interior of the Cango Caves is like a palace of exquisite stalactite and stalagmite formations. Regular tours to the caves are available daily.
Wesley Nitsckie/Flickr/CC by SA 2.0
Kalk Bay, Cape Town: White-sand beaches, colorful fishing boats and houses running up mountain slopes are the must-include elements in your Instagram shots of Cape Town's picture-perfect suburban fishing town.(Wesley Nitsckie/Flickr/CC by SA 2.0)
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Bo-Kaap, Cape Town: Formerly the Malay Quarter, Bo-Kaap's cobbled stone streets and cheerfully colorful houses are the main draw for visitors. It's also the place for
Cape Malay cuisine.
South Africa was once the “darling of the renewable world” with a number of solar farms and an increasing amount of renewable energy being plugged into the national grid, energy analyst and director at QED Solutions Dirk de Vos tells CNN.
However, state-owned electricity utility Eskom has held off on signing new deals to buy renewable energy from private firms, saying they are too expensive – although Eskom maintains that renewables will remain part of the country’s energy mix.
But smaller-scale developments, such as airports and shopping malls, have taken advantage of the country’s well-developed solar sector.
“That whole ecosystem and skills base is still operating and can be used for smaller commercial rooftop PV operations quite successfully,” he says.
“South Africa’s solar future is going to be organic and done by companies to reduce their dependence on the grid and generate their own electricity.”
De Vos considers solar power to be a competitive, cheap alternative to “electrify parts of South Africa” that might have otherwise been in the dark.
“I think we’re at the initial stages of a solar energy revolution,” he says.
00:40 - Source: CNN
Five ways South Africa leads the continent
Located halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, George airport boasts a 200-square-meter solar plant which currently delivers 750Kw power.
Kimberley Airport, situated in the capital of the Northern Cape Province, began operating its 1.7 acre solar power plant in May 2016, a month after George Airport.
Further north, Upington’s solar plant, which opened in July 2016, delivers 1 million kilowatt hours of power per annum to the airport.
Preparations are underway for Port Elizabeth International Airport, Bram Fischer International Airport and East London Airport to launch solar PV systems in October, November and December respectively.
By 2025, ACSA’s strategy is to become the “the most sought after partner in the world for the provision of sustainable airport management solutions.”