Project development and engineering teams from energy solutions company Enernet Global have been working closely with iron-ore company Ironveld to develop an optimised hybrid power plant that will deliver clean, reliable and low-cost power for the company’s smelter facility in Rustenburg.
Detailed design work is currently under way for the innovative hybrid system, which will include solar, battery storage and gas generation, and will operate in islanded mode, removed from the South African power grid.
Enernet will fully finance the power plant and sell energy through a power purchase agreement to Ironveld.
The first stage of the service is under way, with a 1 MW pre-operations power facility that will enable Ironveld to test and recommission the smelter. Enernet will complete installation of the pre-operations power facility this month.