Photo by: Creamer Media's Tasneem Bulbulia
Diversified mining and renewable energy solutions company Exxaro Resources and its wholly owned subsidiary, Cennergi, on November 16 unveiled the Lephalale solar project (LSP), with the sod-turning serving as a ceremonial opening of the project.
The project is a utility-scale behind-the-meter solar photovoltaic (PV) plant.
The plant, in Limpopo, will supply power directly to Exxaro’s Grootegeluk coal mine under a 25-year agreement.
The project will have an installed capacity of 68 MW that will generate 176 GWh/y of energy.
Exxaro Energy MD Leon Groenewald told Engineering News & Mining Weekly that the project would provide about 30% of the mine’s total power needs.
He added that there could be potential at a much later stage to explore options to also supply power to the surrounding community.
Moreover, the project will reduce Exxaro’s carbon emissions at the mine by about 26% and result in energy cost savings of about R100-million a year.