CrossBoundary Energy (CBE), an Africa-focused investor and developer in commercial and industrial (C&I) renewable energy, has signed a power purchase agreement to supply 30 MW of baseload renewable energy to the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to CBE, the project will be Africa’s first baseload renewable energy power plant and will feature a 222 MWp solar PV system, and a 123 MVA/526 MWh battery energy storage system.
Construction of the renewable energy facility is due to start in August 2025. The renewable facility will help the Kamoa-Kakula Copper mine offset significant fuel generator usage and reduce its carbon emissions. CBE will own and operate the plant, and Kamoa Copper will pay for the energy it consumes. The plant is expected to produce 300,000 MWh of clean energy per year.
Additionally, the project is significant in demonstrating that baseload renewable energy from solar PV and batteries is a viable and cost-effective alternative to diesel generators for mines.
“This is a pivotal moment for Kamoa Copper and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As a company, Kamoa Copper has been setting innovative benchmarks in various domains, and with this partnership on baseload renewable energy, we will continue to do so,” said Annebel Oosthuizen, Managing Director of Kamoa Copper.
“We are pleased to have Cross Boundary Energy as our first partner in this endeavor. Their commitment to honesty, integrity, and delivery is exemplary. We anticipate hard work and successful outcomes from this project. From Kamoa Copper’s side, we are committed to providing unwavering support to ensure our suppliers’ success, as we demand excellence in all our collaborations,” Oosthuizen added.
Demonstrating the viability of baseload renewable energy for Africa’s mines
Whilst many mines have incorporated solar PV and BESS systems into their operations, the supply of baseload energy—a guaranteed power output at all times—is rare for solar PV and BESS, as the sector has typically been cautious of intermittency. However, due to the increasing efficiency of solar PV and the declining cost of BESS components, a renewable energy baseload system is now viable and cheaper than the diesel generators currently providing power to the mine.
“Africa’s most significant hindrance to growth and investment is access to reliable and affordable power. Projects like these prove that distributed clean energy can now provide cheaper baseload power, even for heavy industry. We congratulate the Kamoa Copper S.A. team for this project, which will advance the whole sector,” said Matthew Tilleard, Managing Partner at CrossBoundary Energy.
Kamoa Copper S.A. is a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines, Zijin Mining Group, and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which owns a 20% stake in the company. The mining complex is the largest of its kind in Africa, with copper production capacity of approximately 600,000 tonnes per annum. The ramp-up of the new on-site direct-to-blister copper smelter is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2025.
