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Canada-headquartered WATT Renewable Corporation has secured $13m in funding from Oslo-based Empower New Energy. The funds will be used to solarise 225 telecoms towers across Nigeria, reducing diesel consumption in the sector

South Africa-headquartered SolarAfrica Energy has commissioned a 1.1MWp, grid-tied rooftop solar PV commercial and industrial (C&I) installation at the Actom factory in Knights, Germiston.

Empower New Energy has started construction of a 1MWp ground-mounted plant for Harvest Feed and Agro Processing in Ajura, Ogun State, Nigeria.

British American Tobacco Nigeria (BAT) has commissioned a solar PV plant at its Ibadan factory.

There are pockets of progress in building infrastructure across Democratic Republic of Congo, with commercial operators and development finance institutions supporting a range of projects. But with eastern regions traumatised by violence and an uncertain election looming in December, the country remains as challenging an environment as ever, writes Jon Marks.

Ivanhoe Mines has opted for commercial and industrial (C&I) supply from an independent power producer (IPP) for its Platreef project in Limpopo province, becoming the latest large South African offtaker to respond in this way to the woeful performance of utility Eskom.

Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines is expanding its use of hydroelectric power (HEP) wheeled across state utility Société Nationale d’Electricité (Snel)’s grid to support its mining activities in Democratic Republic of Congo’s Haut-Katanga province, which include the world-scale Kamoa-Kakula copper mine.

The Red Sea Power (RSP) Ghoubet wind plant has been commissioned. The $122m project is Djibouti’s first utility-scale independent power producer (IPP) and its first on-grid renewable energy plant. African Energy takes a look at the potential impact of the plant, which represents the first steps towards achieving the government’s energy transition goals.

Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed Northam Platinum is weighing up plans to add more solar PV capacity at its Booysendal, Eland and Zondereinde mines, while also procuring more diesel generators, as it seeks to reduce reliance on the national grid.

Vedanta Zinc International has signed a power purchase agreement with independent power producer Enernet Global (Enernet) to develop a solar PV plant to supply its Black Mountain mines in Aggeneys, Northern Cape, South Africa.

French uranium miner Orano’s Orano Mining Namibia (OMN) subsidiary said construction work has started at the first phase of the Sorexa solar PV project that will supply its Erongo Desalination Plant (EDP), sited 35km north of Swakopmund. Sorexa is planned to be scaled up, with future phases supplying other commercial and industrial offtakers in Namibia.    

After commissioning the Motheo copper mine, ASX-listed Sandfire Resources is pushing ahead with plans to expand production, which will include adding solar power and battery energy storage capacity.

Harmony Gold Mining Company has commissioned three solar PV plants in Lejweleputswa, Free State province. The South African plants are the first part of a wider renewable energy programme and are expected to reduce the mining group’s carbon dioxide emissions by about 65,000t in the first year of operation.

Johannesburg-headquartered Polymer manufacturer Safripol is doubling the capacity of solar PV generation at its Sasolburg site and developing a hybrid solar/gas plant in Durban.

Chemicals producer Omnia Group has confirmed the expected timeframe for the commissioning of a second solar PV plant at Sasolburg. The additional capacity is aimed at reducing the Johannesburg-based company’s dependence on the national grid. Omnia has a memorandum of understanding with renewable energy specialist WKN Windcurrent to develop green hydrogen and ammonia production at Sasolburg.