Gold Fields, a major mining company, recently announced plans to build a 40 MW solar plant at its South Deep gold mine, marking an important step towards renewable energy integration in the mining industry. The solar plant will have 116,000 solar panels and will cover an area of approximately 118 hectares, which is equivalent to 200 soccer fields.
After the Gold Fields board of directors approved the initiative, the decision to proceed with the R660 million project was made. The company received a licence from South Africa’s National Energy Regulator earlier this year, allowing them to generate their own electricity. The plant will provide one-fifth of the mine’s power needs, reducing the company’s reliance on the national power grid. Furthermore, this environmentally friendly move is expected to save Gold Fields R120 million in annual electricity costs.
The solar plant will be located near Westonaria, about 50 kilometres southwest of Johannesburg, at the South Deep gold mine. Gold Fields will fund the plant’s construction with cash generated from the mine over the next two years. The company is currently finalising the criteria for selecting construction firms and plans to commission the plant in the first half of next year. Approximately 240 jobs will be created during the construction phase, with an operational team of 12 people in charge of maintaining and managing the plant once it is operational.
Gold Fields is committed to helping the local economy by sourcing goods and services for the plant’s construction from local vendors whenever possible. This initiative is consistent with the company’s overarching goal of sustainability and responsible mining practises.
“We are the first South African mine to build and operate our own solar plant of this scale,” CEO Chris Griffith said of the project. He also emphasised the plant’s positive environmental impact, estimating a reduction of around 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year, reinforcing Gold Fields’ commitment to combating climate change.
The decision by Gold Fields to invest in renewable energy comes in the wake of South Africa’s record-breaking load-shedding incidents in 2020. According to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the country experienced 859 hours of electricity rationing last year, accounting for nearly 10% of total time. As a result, many South African companies, including Shoprite and Sasol, have begun to investigate self-generation options to ensure a stable power supply.
Shoprite, one of South Africa’s largest retail chains, has successfully installed rooftop solar panels at 19 of its locations in South Africa and Namibia. The company now generates 12,300 MWh per year, enough to power over 1,100 households. Shoprite has also installed solar panels on the roofs of 649 trucks, generating an impressive 760 MWh per year.
Sasol, a well-known energy and chemical company, has also embraced renewable energy. It recently stated its intention to obtain 900 MW of renewable energy in the coming years. Furthermore, global e-commerce behemoth Amazon has announced plans to power its local data centres with a solar project in the Northern Cape.
Recognising the importance of local energy generation and the need to reduce reliance on Eskom, the Western Cape government has allocated nearly R70 million to municipalities to assist them in developing their own electricity generation capabilities.
The construction of Gold Fields’ solar plant represents an important step forward in South Africa’s transition to sustainable energy sources. The project demonstrates the mining industry’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions while embracing renewable energy technologies. Gold Fields and other leading companies are setting a precedent for a greener future and a more resilient energy landscape in South Africa by implementing such initiatives.
