- Voltalia is launching the first construction work on a 148 MWp solar photovoltaic power plant in Bolobedu in the Limpopo province of South Africa.
- The electricity produced will be sold to Richards Bay Minerals (RBM)
Voltalia hastens the completion of its Bolobedu solar project. The France-based independent power producer (IPP) is launching the first construction work on the solar power plant in Bolobedu, in the South African municipality of Grand Letaba, just a few months after signing a power purchase agreement (PPA). The 148 MWp solar photovoltaic parks are being built for Richards Bay Minerals (RBM), a mineral sand producer based in South Africa.
Voltalia estimates that its future plant will have a capacity of 300 GWh per year. According to the PPA signed in October 2022, this electricity will power RBM’s facilities in the KwaZulu-Natal province for the next 20 years. The plant is expected to avoid emissions of 237,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2), which is equivalent to taking approximately 50,000 thermal cars off the road.
In addition to lowering RBM’s environmental footprint, the plant will allow the mining company to lower its electricity bills in a world of rising energy prices. The collaboration with Voltalia is also consistent with the Anglo-Australian group Rio Tinto’s eco-friendly approach. Voltalia has collaborated on the project with local investors such as Black Enterprise (41%), Black Women Enterprise (10%), and Bolobedu Community Trust (5%). Voltalia owns the remaining 44% and plans to open the Bolobedu solar plant in 2024.