Hopefield is located in an environmentally sensitive area associated with the endangered Hopefield Sand Fynbos ecosystem. The proposed solar development would require the clearing of large areas of fynbos and would place solar arrays on two sides of the town. Residents were formally notified about two parts of the project in April 2026 and were given 30 days to comment. The carbon biomass boiler component has not yet been presented to the public. The Western Cape government has known about and promoted the investment for several years and Premier Alan Winde publicly welcomed the investment in 2023. However, if this project goes ahead, it is likely to catastrophically transform the town.