Kariega Plant Boosts Sustainability As Volkswagen Completes Second Solar Phase Adding Significant Clean Power

Volkswagen Group Africa has completed the second phase of its solar photovoltaic carport project at the Kariega manufacturing plant. The expansion increases the plant’s total installed solar capacity to 5.2 MWp, producing an estimated 7,125MWh of electricity annually.

The multi-phase project began in 2022 as part of Volkswagen’s long-term plan to transition its Kariega operations to renewable energy.

Project expansion and investment

The first phase, completed in 2024, delivered 3.1 MWp through 5,712 solar panels. The second phase has added a further 2.1 MWp with the installation of 3,582 panels, each rated at 585W. This phase is expected to generate around 2,699MWh of clean energy a year.

The second phase required a capital investment of R35m, bringing total project investment to R90m.

Solar capacity and output

With both phases complete, Volkswagen has now installed more than 9,200 solar panels in the employee car park and service centre areas. Combined, the system provides 5.2 MWp of capacity and more than 7,000MWh of annual output.

“The completion of the second phase of our solar project marks another major milestone in our journey towards fully sustainable manufacturing,” said Ulrich Schwabe, production director at Volkswagen Group Africa. “This shows our commitment to using cleaner energy and making our operations even more environmentally responsible.”