CENNERGI IS POWERED BY PURPOSE
Solutions Designed for Sustainable Impact
Our Accomplishments
Our Commitment
Sustainability is central to our business strategy of bettering lives through renewable energy development. We are committed to environmental stewardship, uplifting our communities, and delivering great financial returns for our stakeholders and local partners by realising our vision of powering a cleaner world.
Where we add sustainable impact:
Economically
- Investments
- Energy security improvement
- Economic development
Socially
- Employments
- Health and education
Environmental factors
- Greenhouse gas emissions reductions
- Natural resources savings
- Climate resilience
Our priorities:
Legal, regulatory, and compliance excellence
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals
Key Stakeholders & Partners
Our key stakeholders and partners for the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Communities
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Government
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Business
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Renewable Energy Sector
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Implementation Partners
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We support the UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Inclusive and equitable education for all
Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and clean energy for all
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and productive, decent work for all
Resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation
Reduce inequality within and among countries
Sustainable and resilient human settlements
Ensure sustainable consumption and production
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact
Strengthen the means of implementation through partnerships
Health & Safety
Cennergi was formed from the merger of two significant corporations with a heritage in both the mining and energy sectors. This instilled a fundamental obligation to ensure legal compliance and to drive health and safety excellence in all aspects of the business. Cennergi has a “zero harm” commitment and works closely with its contractors to continuously monitor HSE on site, to ensure consistent incident reporting, and to ensure that all corrective and preventative actions are taken to minimise risk.
Additionally, Cennergi performs regular internal and external HSE audits to ensure all processes and procedures are in place and followed by all employees and contractors on site. Cennergi is proud and fortunate to confirm that it has not suffered any fatalities at its facilities, nor has it suffered any LTIs over the past two years.
Community Projects
We recognise that working together with our local communities is essential for successful and sustainable project development. When our communities prosper, we do too.
Our key focus areas include: a tertiary education bursary programme; early childhood and basic education; community infrastructure, health, safety and security; skills and capacity development programmes; and enterprise development. Our aim is to develop socially responsible and sustainable projects that reduce poverty, inequality, and unemployment.
Community Trusts
We understand that transparency and community participation are key drivers of implementing effective socio-economic and enterprise development programmes in our local communities. As such, Cennergi founded the Amakhala Emoyeni Community Fund Trust (AECFT) and Tsitsikamma Wind Farm Trust (TWFT) to implement SED and EnD programmes on its behalf.
Each Trust’s Board of Trustees are ultimately responsible for governing the Trust and driving socio-economic and enterprise development programmes in the communities. All Trustees, with exception of the Founder representative, were nominated by their respective communities and appointed by the Master of the High Court.
Amakhala Emoyeni Wind Farm
To redress the inequalities of the past and to help escalate the economic and social transformation for farm workers and communities in the Adelaide, Bedford, Cookhouse, and Somerset East areas, the AECFT bursary programme was successfully launched in 2020, at an annual cost of more than R1.3 million. The beneficiaries are students who are determined to become successful individuals that can support their families and give back to their communities.
The Trust has invested approximately R1.06 million into skills development initiatives, such as the Welding and Plumbing Training Programme, which was hosted by the East Cape Training Centre in Gqeberha. A total of 40 unemployed youth from Bedford, Adelaide, Cookhouse and Somerset East benefitted from this training initiative.
The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the communities around the wind farm. In response to the urgent situation, AECFT, together with its community beneficiary Trusts (namely Amakhala Emoyeni Cookhouse Trust and Amakhala Emoyeni Bedford Trust) provided food parcels to more than 4,300 needy households. The Trusts also donated PPE, safety equipment, hygiene products, and four industrial-size washing machines to assist. To protect frontline workers and aid patients, several oxygen concentrators, as well as gloves, masks, and sanitiser stands were supplied to the three major hospitals and clinics that support the local community
Tsitsikamma Community Wind Farm
Education is a central focus of Cennergi’s community upliftment efforts. Early childhood development (ECD) is vital in this regard, and as such, TWFT introduced an education development and capacity building programme. It entails teacher training and capacitation, home visits, and parent support programmes for six local creches. The programme’s aim is to see children develop into ambitious, confident, knowledgeable, and dynamic future leaders.
Furthermore, TWFT initiated a bursary funding programme to provide financial support to competent and deserving students from disadvantaged families. It supports students from Kouga, Koukamma and AmaMfengu communities, and approximately R1.2 million is invested in the programme each year.
When it comes to enterprise development, we aim to empower local businesses and entrepreneurs in ways that are relevant to their unique interests. Emerging black dairy farmers were supplied with the equipment they needed to increase milk production and further employment opportunities in the community, at a project cost of R2 million. NNP Women Poultry, a 100% local, woman-owned business supplying chicken eggs within and around the Tsitsikamma areas, Lihlumile Project – a newly established vegetable tunnel project located in Wittekleibosch, Guava Juice Piggery Project, and Jwayi Mbombela Carpentry are just some of the initiatives that TCWF has supported with the necessary skills, machinery, tools and equipment to the value of R2.8 million, collectively, to enhance their business services.
Environment
Cennergi is committed to sustainability and powering a cleaner world. Preserving resources and safeguarding the environment are essential aspects of our entire operation.
We have dedicated in-house environmental and social teams at both the corporate and asset level. Our renewable energy facilities have Environmental Management Programmes (EMPs) in place and maintain Integrated Management System (IMS) in accordance with the requirements of the ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, the Equator Principles, the IFC Performance Standards, the World Bank EHS Guidelines, and the IFC ESMS Implementation Handbook.
Cennergi’s environmental sustainability measures include:
We also contribute to the wider conservation of Cape Vulture in the area. The project contributes towards research conducted by the Endangered Wildlife Trust, and aims at establishing the first Vulture Safe Zone for the Eastern Cape region.
In addition, we are implementing turbine bat curtailment to reduce bat fatalities on site. This includes proactive monitoring programmes run by local, 100% black-owned companies.
Governance
& Ethics
Leading the way forward
Our Board of Directors are ultimately responsible for our response to biodiversity loss and conservation efforts. We have a risk committee which oversees and mitigates the social and environmental risks specific to each of our wind farms.
Renewable solutions with unrivaled value
B-BBEE Recognition
As a proudly South African company, Cennergi is committed to transformation. All Cennergi subsidiaries are B-BBEE Level 2 certified, as included in Exxaro Resources Ltd’s certification.