Gold miner Pan African Resources says the 10 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at its Evander gold mine started supplying electricity to the group’s Elikhulu surface retreatment operations, as part of its hot commissioning process, on May 6.

The solar PV plant, situated at Evander, will provide an estimated 30% of Elikhulu’s power requirements and materially reduce electricity costs.

“In addition to carbon dioxide emission reductions, the PV plant has the added benefits of providing a secure and stable power supply, while at the same time ensuring we manage future cost pressures resulting from above-inflation electricity tariffs.

“Reducing our carbon emissions is just one of the ways Pan African is ‘Mining for a Future’, and forms part of our integrated, beyond-compliance approach in support of our environmental, social and governance principles,” says Pan African CEO Cobus Loots.

He adds that the company will continue with energy independence and decarbonisation initiatives at all of its operations, with another 20 MW of solar capacity scheduled to be built in the next two years.

The plant at Evander comprises 26 640 solar modules over 20.1 ha.

It was built at a cost of R150-million, with cost savings estimated at R100 000 a day, and at current electricity tariffs, payback is anticipated in less than five years.

It is expected to lead to reduced use of fossil-fuel-generated power consumption with an expected reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of about 26 000 t/y, contributing to an estimated 5% reduction in group emissions.

Pan African concluded the concept design and bankable feasibility study for the solar PV plant during 2019 and obtained municipal consent for construction on December 17, 2019.

Engineering studies and other regulatory processes, including the water-use licence and environmental approvals and Department of Mineral Resources and Energy consent were obtained during 2020.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa generation licence was issued in August 2021.

Site establishment and construction started in the first quarter of calendar 2021, on rehabilitated land owned by Evander Mines.

The tender for the Evander solar PV facility was awarded to juwi Renewable Energies South Africa, a subsidiary of the Germany-headquartered renewable energy company juwi Group.

During construction, the services of ten local contractor companies were used, which provided 202 temporary local job opportunities.

The jobs and skills developed during construction will be retained for the 12 MW expansion phase that will supply power to the Evander mine’s underground operation.

Further to using local contractors for cleaning and maintenance of the solar panels, the company is investigating implementation of agriculture projects at the facility, which are expected to create sustainable local employment opportunities and maximise land use at the solar PV facility.