South African mine taps juwi for potential hybrid wind and solar project

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Up to 190MW of PV capacity is already in operation in the Prieska area (Credit: Orion Minerals)

Clean energy firm juwi could build a 35MW hybrid wind and solar facility to sustain a zinc-copper mine in South Africa under a deal with the owner. 

The collaboration agreement signed with Orion Minerals will see juwi examine the feasibility of powering the Prieska mine, in South Africa’s Northern Cape province, through a co-located renewable facility.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

According to juwi and Orion, the plant under consideration would stand 20 kilometres away from the mine itself. This, the firms explained, would make it possible to install a dedicated feed via an overhead power transmission line.

Errol Smart, managing director and CEO at Orion, linked the firm’s consideration of renewable power to a plan to make the most of the mine’s “geographic advantage”.

“This region has the highest irradiance levels in the country with its hot, dry climate and is also very well-suited for wind farms,” he commented.

As Smart noted, the envisaged plant would be the latest in a “well-established” renewables scene in the Prieska area, said to host 190MW of up-and-running solar parks and a further 240MW of wind projects still under construction.

The juwi group itself is no stranger to Prieska. The firm’s South African unit – so far the builder of a combined 121MW across five PV parks in the country – was chosen in 2013 as the EPC contractor for an 86MW plant co-developed by Mulilo Renewable Energy South Africa and IPP Sonnedix.

The wind and solar push comes as South Africa’s renewable scene is rocked by Eskom’s financial woes. Recent reports that the government could renegotiate old PPAs under the REIPPP programme to lower the prices paid by the state utility – declared technically insolvent in February – caused a stir among renewables trade bodies.

In parallel, the spectre of power price raises by Eskom is pushing mining players to renewables. In February, Harmony Gold Mining Company told analysts it could develop its own 30MW of solar to protect its operations against rising tariffs.

Read Next

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
April 10, 2024
Dallas, Texas USA
Solar Media Events
April 17, 2024
Lisbon, Portugal
Solar Media Events
May 1, 2024
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
May 21, 2024
Napa, USA