South African mining group Northam Platinum Holding Ltd has initiated its first significant renewable energy venture by signing a power purchase agreement (PPA) for an 80-MW solar project aimed at supplying clean electricity to its Zondereinde mine operations.
The solar farm is projected to deliver approximately 220 GWh of energy annually, directly feeding into Zondereinde's mining and smelting operations, independent of the local Eskom grid. Construction of the facility is already underway, with operations expected to commence in December 2025.
The PPA was established with a consortium that includes the STANLIB Infrastructure Fund II, Royal Bafokeng Holdings Proprietary Limited, and Energy Group, with project financing provided by Nedbank Limited and The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited.
Located near Thabazimbi in the Limpopo province, Zondereinde is a platinum-group metals (PGM) mine. The new solar initiative is anticipated to reduce the mine's carbon footprint by 22%.
“Northam is committed to sustainably reducing the environmental impact of our operations, and this, our first major renewable energy project, represents a significant milestone,” stated Northam's CEO Paul Dunne.
The company aims to decrease its carbon intensity by 60% from a 2019 baseline by 2030 and is advancing additional renewable energy projects, including solar, wind, and battery storage initiatives.
