In Namibia, Canadian mining company Trevali Mining Corporation is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its Rosh Pinah mine through the construction of a solar photovoltaic system. The facility will be financed, built and operated by Emerging Markets Energy Services Company (Emesco).
A power purchase agreement (PPA) was recently signed between Canadian mining company Trevali Mining Corporation and Emerging Markets Energy Services Company (Emesco), a renewable energy provider based in Tshwane, South Africa. The PPA covers a solar photovoltaic system that Emesco will build near the Rosh Pinah lead and zinc mine, located in the ǁKaras region of southern Namibia.
Trevali did not give further details, including the capacity of the future solar photovoltaic plant. But the Vancouver, Canada-based mining company estimates that the future facility will cover 30% of the electricity needs of its lead and zinc mine, one of the largest in Namibia. As part of the clean energy project, Emesco will be responsible for the design, permitting, financing and implementation of a solar energy system on a property adjacent to the mine, at no cost to Trevali.
A 15-year contract
Emesco will sell the energy produced to Trevali at a fixed rate that is expected to reduce energy costs by 18% over the 15-year term of the agreement. “If Trevali makes a positive investment decision on the Rosh Pinah mine expansion project, Emesco will increase the delivery of electricity to Rosh Pinah to remain at 30% of the mine’s annual energy consumption, as provided for under the amended single buyer framework in Namibia,” the Canadian mining company says.
According to Trevali, the choice of a clean energy source is part of its overall policy to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25% by 2025 from its 2018 baseline. And the choice of Emesco to accompany it in its mission is not insignificant. The renewable energy provider has a strong track record in solar power generation for industrial and commercial customers.
Emesco has an installed capacity of 32 MW, with power plants built mainly in southern Africa. The company has built a 10 MWp solar power plant in Okatope, Namibia. The company has also installed a 2.2 MWp solar plant on the roof of Airport Junction, a shopping centre in Gaborone, Botswana.
Jean Marie Takouleu
