The R2.8 billion solar project and the R3.4 billion wind project at Witberg will both begin commercial operations in the third and fourth quarters of 2025, respectively. The projects are financed by the individual power producers behind them, while Sibanye-Stillwater purchases the renewable electricity through a wheeling deal with Eskom.
The CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater, Neal Froneman, stated that the business was still searching for more renewable electricity sources to deliver electricity. Prior to reaching its 2040 carbon neutrality goal, the corporation has set a new purchase target of 600MW for energy.
After the 89MW Castle wind energy project that the mining announced in May, Witberg, which is being constructed by Red Rocket near Matjiesfontein in the Western Cape, is now the largest private wind power project in South Africa at 103MW. According to Sibanye-Stillwater, the power purchase deal with Witberg is for a period of 15 years.
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An IPP in South Africa called SOLA Group is funding a 150 MW solar project in the Free State. Sibanye-Stillwater has entered into a 10-year power purchase agreement to acquire 75MW of the plant’s capacity. According to the firm, the project will be the first to sell electricity on flexible terms to several purchasers around the nation.
According to the firm, when these projects are combined, Sibanye-Stillwater’s Scope 2 emissions will be reduced by 15%, or around 921,000 tonnes CO2 year, starting in 2026. This would significantly help to ease the country’s power situation.
According to the Minerals Council of South Africa, mining companies in the nation are working on 6,500MW of renewable energy projects collectively, as reported by Reuters in June. By 2025, they should produce 2,294 MW of electricity on their own, and by 2030, more should be added.
Requests to lower the amount of electricity used by mines and associated processing facilities, which may make up to 30% of the country’s power consumption, are frequently made, with significant consequences for the extraction of minerals.
