New Solar Plants Power South African Mines

French renewable energy firm Voltalia has commissioned a 148-megawatt solar power plant in South Africa’s Limpopo province to supply electricity to Richards Bay Minerals, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto.

The Bolobedu solar farm is designed to provide approximately 300 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. The arrangement is governed by a long-term corporate power purchase agreement between the two companies.

Because the plant is not directly connected to the mine, electricity is transmitted via the national grid operated by Eskom. This process utilizes a wheeling system, a model increasingly adopted by industrial companies in South Africa seeking stable power supplies independent of the state utility.

Shift Toward Private Renewable Energy

The project reflects a broader trend of large industrial operations moving away from the national grid due to unreliable power supplies, ongoing load-shedding, and a heavy reliance on coal.

Energy-intensive sectors, particularly mining, are increasingly securing private renewable energy deals to improve operational reliability, reduce costs, and meet corporate climate targets.

Broader Mining Sector Trends in South Africa

The Rio Tinto project is part of a wider shift across the South African mining industry toward clean energy. Other major mining firms are implementing similar strategies to reduce their carbon footprints and reliance on coal-fired electricity.

A joint effort between EDF and Anglo American is supporting cleaner production for diamond, iron ore, and platinum mining operations. This initiative includes the Koruson 2 cluster, which aims for a total capacity of 520 MW.

Active components of the Koruson 2 cluster include:

• The Mooi Plaats Solar PV plant, which adds 240 MW.
• The Umsobomvu Wind Farm, which delivers 140 MW.
• The Hartebeesthoek Wind project, which is expected to add another 140 MW to complete the cluster’s capacity.

These renewable projects provide power to several major operations, including Kumba for iron ore production, De Beers for diamond mining, and Valterra for platinum group metals.

Environmental and Economic Impact

The transition to renewable energy is expected to result in significant emissions reductions. Once the Koruson 2 cluster is fully operational, it is projected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 2.2 million tonnes per year.

Beyond environmental goals, these infrastructure projects are contributing to regional economic development. Construction phases for these energy projects have created thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape, regions characterized by high unemployment rates.

Expansion plans for these renewable initiatives target a total capacity of up to 5 GW to further support the mining sector’s transition away from coal.