Rio Tinto QMM's Madagascar mine gets solar power; Voltalia wins 130 MW in Tunisia; Namibia lands World Bank loan for energy infrastructure; AMEA Power building 120 MW PV plant in Tunisia; EDF Renewables building 355 MW solar PV in South Africa.
Solar for mining: African renewable energy company CrossBoundary Energy (CBE) recently inaugurated phase I of the Ehoala Solar Park to power the ilmenite mine of Anglo-American mining group Rio Tinto in Madagascar. Operated by Rio Tinto QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM), the mine is located in Fort Dauphin. Phase I of the project comprises 8 MW. Under phase II, CBE will expand the same by 6 MW solar and 16 MW wind power capacity. Rio Tinto QMM says the project is part of its efforts to build a sustainable mine and decarbonize its operations. In 2021, Rio Tinto signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with CBE (see Metals Miner Rio Tinto To Source RE for Madagascar Mine).
130 MW solar in Tunisia: France's Voltalia has won a 130 MW solar project in Tunisia which will be built in the Gafsa region. It will sell power under a 30-year PPA to the Tunisian public grid operator Société Tunisienne de l'Électricité et du Gaz (STEG). Voltalia plans to start construction on site in 2025 and achieve commissioning in 2026.
NamPower secures $138.5 million: Namibia's national utility NamPower has secured a $138.5 million loan from the World Bank to improve its transmission network and increase renewable energy integration into the national grid. It will deploy the proceeds to develop a utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) facility among other uses. The bank will also support NamPower develop bankable renewable energy projects to enhance their socio-economic benefits.
120 MW solar plant in Tunisia: Dubai's AMEA Power has started construction of its 120 MW Kairouan Solar Power Plant in Tunisia. Located in Metbassta, Kairouan Governorate, the $86 million project is financed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the African Development Bank. AMEA says this was the 1st project under the concession regime in the country to have reached financial close. It is expected to come online in Q4/2025 and sell power to STEG under a 20-year PPA.
EDF's 1.2 GW South Africa power plans: EDF Renewables is currently constructing 355 MW of solar PV capacity in South Africa. It is part of the company's 1.2 GW low carbon power generation capacity under construction in the country at present. It also comprises 763 MW wind and 75 MW battery storage capacity. The solar power plants in this portfolio comprise the Koruson 2 cluster that has wind and solar farms with a combined 520 MW capacity. The Umoyilanga Hybrid Power Plant is a virtual power plant that will deliver 75 MW of dispatchable power combining 115 MW of solar PV, 63 MW of wind power and 75 MW of storage. EDF says the total investment across all the projects is ZAR 34 billion ($1.85 billion). All of these facilities are planned to come online between 2024-end and 2026.