Richards Bay Minerals and Voltalia announced on Apr. 8 the commissioning of the Bolobedu Solar Farm in Limpopo province, South Africa. The first megawatt-hours of renewable electricity have been delivered to the national grid, marking a significant step in both companies’ partnership and South Africa’s energy transition.
The development is important as it supports RBM’s commitment to sustainable mining and helps advance the country’s move toward cleaner energy sources. The solar farm has an installed capacity of 148 megawatts and is one of the largest in South Africa dedicated to supplying a single company.
According to Richards Bay Minerals, once fully operational, the plant will reduce its annual greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10 percent, or about 237,000 tonnes per year. This project forms part of RBM’s broader renewable energy strategy linked with its Zulti South project. Power from Bolobedu is supplied through a wheeling arrangement using Eskom’s transmission network.
RBM Managing Director Werner Duvenhage said: “Commissioning of the Bolobedu Solar Farm is a defining moment for RBM as we celebrate 50 years of operations in South Africa. This initiative is not just about energy security, it is about the long-term sustainability of the business. As we break ground on Zulti South, this initiative paves the way for a cleaner energy future, contributing to both the national power grid and our global decarbonization targets.”
Voltalia Chief Executive Officer Robert Klein said: “The delivery of the first megawatt-hours from Bolobedu illustrates our commitment to accelerating the decarbonization of industries and supporting inclusive energy transition in South Africa involving local communities.”
RBM reports that this solar project complements other renewable initiatives such as wind power purchase agreements. Together these efforts are expected to cut Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by around 60 percent compared with levels recorded in 2018.
