B2Gold expects to boost renewable energy usage at its Otjikoto Mine in Namibia with a 10 megawatt (MW) solar plant, expected to be operational by the end of 2024.
The facility being developed by Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS) and partners, will supply 25% of the mine’s electricity needs from renewable sources, with the mine as an off-taker.
“In 2024, B2Gold will increase the proportion of renewable energy used at two operations. In Namibia, the commissioning of a third-party solar facility toward the end of the year is expected to provide an additional 25% of the Otjikoto Mine’s electricity from renewable sources,” the gold miner said.
The N$200 million project, constructed on Maxwell Farm in North Central Namibia, will generate approximately 26,360MWh annually. Using NamPower’s Modified Single Buyer (MSB) framework, this will be the first project in Namibia to wheel energy, allowing electricity to be transmitted via the grid from the solar plant to the mine, located 300 km north of Windhoek. The project is a collaboration between SPS, Fortitude, and the Oelofse family.
SPS CEO, Francois van Themaat, praised NamPower and the Electricity Control Board (ECB) for their support.
In terms of the partnership, van Themaat stated “we are thrilled to be developing this novel project for B2Gold with our Namibian partners — Fortitude and the Oelofse family. I want to thank NamPower and the ECB for their investor-friendly approach and for their assistance in making this project a reality.”
The Oelofse family, known for their commitment to wildlife conservation, is also investing in the project.
The solar plant aligns with B2Gold’s strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, reinforcing Otjikoto as one of Namibia’s greenest mines. The initiative is a significant step towards achieving net-zero operations at the mine.
B2Gold’s Otjikoto gold mine will be one of Namibia’s greenest mines, to offset an additional 26,360 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
In addition to increasing the proportion of renewable energy sources in its electricity supply, the Company is also evaluating and monitoring several additional avenues for carbon reduction including energy efficiency and reduction, alternative fuels, optimising fleet management and materials movement.
“B2Gold is committed to staying at the forefront of innovation by collaborating with industry-leading suppliers, ensuring readiness to adopt emerging technologies that align with their decarbonisation goals,” the company noted.
Namibia’s favourable investment climate and regulatory framework have been crucial for this project, which is expected to reduce the country’s reliance on imported energy and fossil fuels.
