Off-grid solar and storage solution to power Senegal mine

Eramet Grande Côte, a large producer of mineral sands, has partnered with JUWI Renewable Energies, an international renewable energy company, in order to develop an off-grid solar photovoltaic and battery storage solution to meet the needs of the Eramet Grande Côte mine in Senegal

Financing has been finalised for the project (to the tune of approximately US$32mn) which is aimed to reduce the mine’s reliance on heavy fuel oil in order to improve production stability and reduce the environmental impact of the site. This will be achieved through the delivery of a 20MW solar power project in conjunction with 11MWh battery energy storage that will, when completed, provide an expected 20% of the mine’s energy needs.

“The clean energy produced by this plant will contribute to improving Eramet Grande Côte's environmental performance,” remarked Frédéric Zanklan, CEO of Grande Côte Operations SA. “Our investment in this solar power plant project is in line with Eramet Grande Côte and Eramet's commitment to act for sustainable mining and to accelerate the decarbonization of our industry.”

Meeting mining's energy needs

Not only is this sustainable solution expected to reduce carbon emissions by 25,000 tonnes per year, but around 100 jobs are expected to be created during the construction and maintenance phases. It will also be counted among the largest off-grid hybrid installations in the West Africa country, demonstrating the feasibility of such solutions for meeting the energy needs of such a vital industry in the region.

“As part of our commitment to Africa’s clean energy transition, we are delighted to partner with Eramet Grande Côte on its first off-grid solar and storage project,” commented Richard Doyle, managing director of JUWI South Africa. “This is another step for JUWI in providing off-grid hybrid solutions to the mining sector and industrial-scale operations. Integrating renewables and storage into mining operations is critical to reducing carbon footprint and costs, while increasing efficiency, safety and resilience. Our experience in this area allows us to support the fight against climate change while driving economic growth.”

Earlier this year, Doyle spoke to African Review to share his views on the irresistible pull of renewables, especially in support of the emerging data centre market and the well-established mining industry. Click here to read the full interview.