SOUTH AFRICA: Black Mountain operations to be solar-powered

In South Africa, independent power producer (IPP) Enernet Global has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Vedanta Zinc International. The aim is to decarbonise its mining operations in the Northern Cape province by relying on photovoltaic solar energy.

Decarbonisation is underway in South Africa’s mining sector. The Vedanta Zinc International mining group has just reached an agreement with the independent power producer (IPP) Enernet Global, based in New York in the United States of America, to supply 12 MW of solar energy to power the Black Mountain mining operations.

Vedanta produces copper, lead and zinc, as well as silver as a by-product, at this mining site in the Northern Cape province. As part of the agreement, Enernet will finance and build its solar photovoltaic power plant in the Namakwa district. The facility will be capable of producing 29 GWh of electricity per year.

“We are committed to reducing carbon emissions by 35,000 tonnes and installing 76% renewable energy by 2027. Our goal is to be carbon neutral by 2040,” explains Pushpender Singla, Vedanta’s Executive Director and CFO. According to Enernet, the 12 MW solar power plant will prevent the emission of around 12,244 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year.

Above all, the plant will enable Vedanta to reduce its dependence on South African state-owned utility Eskom, whose electricity network has been prone to load shedding in recent years. Work will start in the first quarter of 2024 and will last nine months. Enernet Global will then operate the solar power plant for 25 years.