Energy

RBM has now committed to approximately 500MW of renewable energy through various PPAs. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) has finalised its third Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), partnering with Red Rocket South Africa (Pty) Ltd for Phase 1 of the Overberg Wind Farm

Located near Swellendam in the Western Cape, the Overberg Wind Farm is set to commence construction in the first half of 2025, with operations expected to begin by December 2026. The project will be developed in two phases, with RBM securing 230MW of the total 380MW export capacity. Once operational, the wind farm is projected to cut RBM’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 30% annually (0.7 Mt CO2e).

With this latest agreement, RBM has now committed to approximately 500MW of renewable energy through various PPAs.

RBM’s renewable energy transition began with the announcement of the Bolobedu Solar PV project in October 2022. Situated about 120 km east of Polokwane in Limpopo, the 130MW solar plant is designed to generate approximately 300 GWh of energy annually, with construction already underway.

In June 2024, RBM secured another renewable energy deal with the Khangela Emoyeni Wind Farm, located near Murraysburg, spanning the Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces. This 140MW wind project, which began construction in July 2024, is expected to supply RBM with around 460 GWh of renewable energy per year through a wheeling arrangement with Eskom.

A quicker transition?

Commenting on RBM’s renewable energy commitments, Werner Duvenhage, managing director of RBM and Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium (RTIT) African Operations, stated, “This announcement comes shortly after the United Nations International Day of Clean Energy on 26 January 2025, which reminds us of the need to transition from our reliance on fossil fuels for the betterment of our planet and people. At RBM, we are taking real action to displace electricity generated from coal with solutions like solar PV, wind, and other renewable technologies.

“The Overberg Wind Farm project represents the biggest project in RBM renewable energy procurement and is a key step towards RBM achieving its commitment in line with the target set by the Rio Tinto Group, to reduce its emissions by 50% by 2030, relative to the 2018 baseline, and achieve net zero by 2050.”

Matteo Brambilla, CEO of Red Rocket South Africa, emphasised the impact of the project, remarked, “The signing of this PPA for the Overberg Wind Farm is a significant milestone in our ongoing partnership with Richards Bay Minerals. This project will deliver 230MW of clean energy to the South African grid, driving positive environmental impact for RBM while contributing to South Africa's energy transition. At Red Rocket, we are proud to support RBM's commitment to a more sustainable future and to be at the forefront of delivering innovative, impactful renewable energy solutions.”

RBM currently consumes approximately 1.8 TWh (Terawatt-hours) of electricity per year, with energy use accounting for about 1.6 Mt CO2e—roughly 80% of its annual GHG emissions.

Collectively, the three renewable energy projects—Overberg Wind Farm, Khangela Emoyeni Wind Farm, and Bolobedu Solar PV—are expected to reduce RBM’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions by around 60% (1.4 Mt CO2e) from a 2018 baseline.

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The Ncwera project is expected to be completed within a year and is designed to align with key national policies, including the National Development Plan (NDP IV), Vision 2040, and Sustainable Development Plan 7. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Uganda has launched the Ncwera Mini Hydro-Power Project in Mitooma District to boost rural electrification, enhance businesses, and support economic growth

Deputy speaker Thomas Tayebwa has emphasised that unreliable and costly electricity continues to hinder the potential of businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, and households across Uganda

Tayebwa made these remarks while presiding over the ceremony for the Ncwera Mini Hydro-Power Project in Ruhinda North County, Mitooma District.

The project is part of the Electricity Access Scale-Up initiative spearheaded by the Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company (UECCC) and is being financed through the ORIO Infrastructure Fund from the Netherlands.

Tayebwa, who also serves as the area representative, highlighted that the project would not only provide electricity to households but also create new economic opportunities.

"Farmers will be able to process their produce efficiently, small businesses will thrive, and our children will have better opportunities to study," he stated.

He praised the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development for extending key energy infrastructure to communities and urged further efforts to expand similar projects to other underserved areas.

Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa emphasized that the project aligns with the government’s goal of delivering affordable electricity to drive industrial growth and economic transformation.

"I am pleased to note that in the agreement that was signed, the tariff is 5.3 US cents per unit, which is good. We have been trying to reduce the cost of electricity and since hydropower is the cleanest source of energy, it is the cheapest," said Nankabirwa.

"We have two sub-counties that have electricity poles without electricity wires, which means people there do not have access to electricity. There has also been a lot of load shedding in the district, which has affected many businesses," Agasha noted.

"With a growing need for energy in rural areas that have limited access to the grid network, we believe that these mini-hydropower plants will service communities and spur economic development through industrialisation, which will in turn increase employment and opportunities for the growing population," Van Ettro said.

UECCC managing director, Roy Nyamutale Baguma, revealed that in addition to Mitooma District, the ORIO Mini Hydropower Project will support the implementation of eight more projects across six districts: Bushenyi, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kabarole, Bunyangabo, and Hoima.

He further noted that upon completion, the nine mini-hydropower sites will collectively generate 6.7 megawatts and establish a 288-kilometre distribution network, significantly enhancing rural electrification.

"The project sites are located in hard-to-reach areas with challenging topography and geophysical conditions, which makes it inefficient to wheel power over long distances to such very hard-to-reach places," said Baguma.

He confirmed that the Ncwera project is expected to be completed within a year and is designed to align with key national policies, including the National Development Plan (NDP IV), Vision 2040, and Sustainable Development Plan 7.

Also read: Siemens wins award, transforms Ghana’s electricity management

Mission 300 aims to electrify more African homes. (Image credit: AfDB)

An initiative to connect 300 million more Africans to electricity by 2030 has won new cash pledges worth over US$8bn, following the Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam this week.

The summit was organised by the Tanzanian government and Mission 300, a collaboration between the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank Group and global partners to address Africa’s electricity gap using new technology and innovative financing.

New funds were pledged from lenders such as the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Beijing-based Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), among others.

AfDB president Dr Akinwumi Adesina called for active involvement and collaboration among all stakeholders, from bilateral and multilateral institutions to the private sector.

“This is mission critical,” he told delegates gathered at the event. “Our mission here is to say we need everybody.”

Nearly 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity, a critical resource for economic development and job creation.

“With power, Africa will not just meet expectations but exceed them, becoming a competitive and prosperous continent.”

Mission 300 will incorporate robust accountability measures, including country-specific monitoring and evaluation systems and the Africa Energy Regulatory Index to track progress.

“This is all about accountability, transparency,” said Adesina.

About half of planned new connections will come from existing grids, according to officials at the summit, while the rest will come from a range of renewable energy sources.

Donor foundations are also expected to support the collaboration, with Rajiv Shah, president of The Rockefeller Foundation, calling on global philanthropists to get behind the idea.

“What is at stake is the future of African economies, the future of African young people and the future of our world,” he said, adding that his foundation was committing US$65mn to the programme.

United Nations deputy secretary-general Amina Mohammed said that achieving these targets would also require significant financial engineering and private sector engagement.

“The private sector’s got to lean in and it won’t lean in if the message is that your finance environment is not conducive to us,” she said, calling for reforms in credit rating systems and financial architecture.

“When you want to put together the financing for energy it is not easy and it requires many people at the table in parallel with what we are doing, the policy and the regulation, designing these pipelines and getting the money ready.”

There is also an environmental dimension behind the initiative, with an emphasis on the toll of traditional cooking methods based on firewood and charcoal, resulting in the estimated deaths of 600,000 women and children annually due to smoke exposure.

World Bank president Ajay Banga expressed optimism about Mission 300, saying its objectives are achievable through hard work, particularly in ensuring a conducive environment for the private sector to participate.

He emphasised the need for predictability of currencies, regulatory frameworks and land acquisition to incentivise investments that support the initiative.

Among the countries to unveil new or additional contributions to the AfDB-managed Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) as it expands energy access across Africa, including through the Mission 300 partnership were the UK, Denmark, Spain and France.

Read more about Mission 300 here

Innovative battery technology is bringing more electricity to the DRC. (Image credit: AdobeStock)

MOPO, a UK-based technology company specialising in sustainable energy solutions through pay-per-use battery rentals, is to step up the expansion of its battery rental business in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

The company has identified the DRC as a key growth market in its roll-out strategy. It says it hopes to revolutionise access to sustainable energy for millions of households and businesses across both urban and rural communities in Africa who suffer from unstable or no grid infrastructure.

The latest move in the DRC follows a new round of funding into MOPO from British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution.

“At MOPO, our mission is to create a high-impact, sustainable solution that empowers households and small businesses by providing access to electricity without the burden of costly upfront equipment purchases,” said Chris Longbottom, MOPO's CEO.

“This partnership aligns perfectly with BII’s mandate to finance initiatives that drive social and economic development. Together, we aim to make clean, affordable energy accessible to those who need it most, fostering growth within the communities we serve.”

MOPO launched its operations in the DRC in Q2 2024 and already operates across six cities. The financing secured from BII’s Climate Innovation Facility is expected to enable it to triple its service capacity in the DRC within the next 12 months. The funding will help the company reach over a million people in the DRC.

The company offers two types of battery rentals: the compact MOPO50, ideal for lighting, phone charging and powering DC appliances, and the larger MOPOMax, designed to power larger 230V appliances, replacing petrol generators or serve as a battery swap solution for e-motorbike taxis.

Customers rent, return and replace these MOPO batteries on a pay-per-use basis at MOPO’s solar-powered hubs, which are managed by local agents. This approach enables families and small businesses to access affordable electricity without the need for costly upfront investments in equipment or the need for consumer debt burdens, MOPO said in a statement. Furthermore, it provides a cleaner and significantly more cost-effective alternative to carbon-based fuel generation, it added.

In the DRC, the expansion of easily-available power is critical with less than 17% of the population currently having access to electricity. The World Bank ranks the DRC among the 10 least electrified countries globally.

“We recently achieved a significant milestone, surpassing 23 million rentals across sub-Saharan Africa, with the DRC emerging as one of our key growth markets,” said Longbottom.

“With a population exceeding 100 million and over 80% lacking access to electricity, the need in this country for our service is both compelling and substantial. This financing from BII marks the beginning of what we envision as a long-term partnership, enabling us to accelerate our ambitious growth strategy in the DRC and make a transformative impact on the lives of millions by delivering reliable and affordable energy solutions.”

Lord Collins of Highbury, UK Minister for Africa said the “innovative” partnership between BII and MOPO demonstrates how UK expertise and investment can unlock sustainable growth in Africa.

“By bringing reliable, clean energy solutions to households and businesses, we're driving green development while creating opportunities for UK and African businesses alike. This is part of the UK’s approach to working with African partners to tackle climate change and boost economic prosperity through smart, sustainable technologies.”