B2Gold Namibia says it is closing in on its target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, following the commencement of renewable power deliveries to its Otjikoto Mine under Namibia’s Modified Single Buyer (MSB) framework.
Country Manager and Director of B2Gold Namibia, John Roos, said the company aims to position itself at the forefront of clean energy adoption in the mining sector.
Combined with the mine’s existing 7 MW embedded solar plant, renewable energy now supplies between 40% and 45% of Otjikoto’s daytime electricity requirements.
“B2Gold’s ambition is to be Namibia’s leader in renewable-powered mining, while supporting our global target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030. Partnering with SPS under the MSB framework gives us a cost-effective, low-carbon energy supply and demonstrates what is possible for the mining sector,” Roos said.
He said the new project, together with the on-site 7 MW solar plant, positions B2Gold as one of the leading contributors to Namibia’s green energy transition.
The shift is supported by the 10.6 MW Maxwell Solar Plant, developed in partnership with Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS), which has begun wheeling electricity directly to the Otjikoto Mine. SPS described the development as a milestone for the mining industry.
“A breakthrough moment for Namibia’s mining sector: green energy is now wheeled directly to B2Gold Corp.’s Otjikoto Mine under the MSB framework. In 2014, Namibia’s largest gold producer ran 100% on heavy fuel oil diesel. Today, its energy landscape looks very different,” SPS said.
The solar plant generates about 2.6 GWh of electricity a year, an amount comparable to the annual consumption of more than 7,000 households.
SPS said the eight-year power purchase agreement with B2Gold aligns with the remaining operational life of the Otjikoto Mine and was structured as a shorter-term alternative to the 20 to 25-year contracts typically used in renewable energy financing.
The project was delivered through collaboration between B2Gold Corp., Sustainable Power Solutions, NamPower, Fortitude Development Group and the Oelofse family.
