https://www.miningweekly.com

Implats planning 520 MW renewable generation

23rd September 2022

By: Martin Creamer

Creamer Media Editor

     

Font size: - +

Platinum group metals mining and marketing company Implats is planning to introduce 520 MW of renewable power as part of an ambition to reduce its carbon footprint by 30% by 2030 and become carbon neutral in 2050.

The current carbon generation of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed company is about 3.3-million tons of carbon a year, which it aims to reduce to 2.2-million tons, a saving of 1.1-million tons.

Of that, its aspiration is to reduce its carbon footprint in South Africa by 780 000 t and its carbon footprint in Zimbabwe by 280 000 t.

“The carbon is primarily generated through carbon-fuelled energy consumption. When we project our total energy demand in 2030, it amounts to around 710 MW of power. To effect the saving, we have to install around 520 MW of renewable energy,” Implats CEO Nico Muller said in response to Engineering News & Mining Weekly.

That has been divided into different projects. In Zimbabwe, the group is aiming to produce 185 MW of renewable energy and Zimplats CEO Alex Mhembere is already executing Phase 1, which is 35 MW of solar photovoltaic power.

In Rustenburg, the aspiration is to generate 290 MW of renewable energy, 170 MW of it solar and 120 MW the subject of a wheeling arrangement.

“This also then provides us with an opportunity to collaborate with the local communities in order to get localisation off the ground in the North West province,” said Muller.

The 290 MW would, Muller said, be made up of several individual projects, typically aimed at supporting mine shafts that have lives sufficient to support a renewable energy project – or shafts close to smelters, so that power supply can be rerouted to smelters with the least effort in the event of shaft closure.

At the Marula mine, the generation of 30 MW of renewable energy is envisaged, also in the form of solar power.

At Springs, the aim is to receive 15 MW of renewable energy as part of a wheeling arrangement as Implats has insufficient property in Springs to erect a solar or wind project.

“All of these projects have been scheduled to culminate in 520 MW by 2030 but I do not have a conclusive answer in terms of the capital cost or the potential that will be generated by these projects, which are mostly in the study phase.

“As soon as we conclude the studies, we will start reporting back on expected financial returns and benefits.

“The only areas where we’ll probably be an owner-operator of the installations is probably in Zimbabwe. Generally, I think we’ll probably enter into an offtake agreement with an independent provider. Again, the outcome of the studies will determine the most efficient outcome, but that’s generally how I see it working,” Muller added.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION