South African Miner Harmony Gold To Add 30 MW Solar For Cleaner Mining

Leading South African Mining firm Harmony Gold Mining has begun to construct a 30 MW solar PV plants in South Africa.

The effort is part of its ESG goals to achieve a lower carbon footprint. The action plan is divided into three parts: Phase I, Phase II and Phase III. Phase I has mandated the company to start construction of 3×10 MW solar power plants in Free State region where the estimated generation is more than 68 GWh annually.

Phase I will be followed by Phase II according to which 137 MW more will follow. Final Phase III is currently at the planning stage.

Phase I in Free State will be realised through an independent power producer (IPP) set up in collaboration with local clean energy advisor Energy Group and EPC company BBEnergy. As and when the capacity is achieved, Harmony expects to generate over 68 GWh of clean power over a 20-year period.

Although at feasibility stage now, Phase II will mandate generation of an additional 137 MW renewable energy for supply of power to various longer-life mines of the company, said a statement released by the company last week. When the company achieves full production in FY25 and begins to supply power to longer life mines, more than ZAR 500 million ($32 million) is estimated to be saved by the company annually on electricity.
Phase III is too distant to talk about.

For South Africa, which has been grappling with a power crisis as well as high dependence on thermal power for some time now, higher corporate involvement in the renewable energy sector should be welcome, considering how much needs to be done. Harmony Gold CEO Peter Steenkamp said, “The ESG-linked financial transactions that we have concluded, alongside the construction of the solar energy plants, are a watershed moment for Harmony and our host communities.”