Page 14 - AfrElec Week 07 2023

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

Seriti Resources to build 155-MW

wind farm to power coal mines

SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH African thermal coal producer Seriti projects planned by Seriti.
Resources is investing in a wind power project According to Seriti Resources founder
by its green energy unit to be developed in the and chief executive Mike Teke, the wind farm
country’s coal-rich Mpumalanga province. is expected to feed power into the national
The 155-MW, ZAR4bn ($235mn) project by grid from 2025. It will be the largest wind The wind farm in
Seriti Green will provide electricity for mining farm in South Africa and will generate about
operations, group CFO Doug Gain told report- 75% of the electricity needed for Seriti’s coal Mpumalanga will
ers on February 2. Seriti’s mines powered mostly operations.
by wind will supply coal for state utility Eskom’s “We felt that it’s important that we take our be the first step
plants to produce electricity for the national grid. responsibility and consider investing in renewa-
The move by Seriti is an illustration of the ble energy because we believe climate change is a in 900 MW of
switch to renewables owing to Eskom’s inability reality, we believe carbon neutrality is important, renewable energy
to meet demand and frequent implementation of and we have to make sure that we participate,”
load shedding, or scheduled power cuts, which Teke was quoted as saying. projects planned
have now reached record levels, Reuters reports. South African mining operations have been
“There are short-term solutions to alleviate severely hit by the frequency and intensity of by Seriti.
some stages of load shedding, but the only long- load sheddings imposed by Eskom to protect the
term solution is new generation,” Seriti Green national grid. As a result, more producers of the
chief executive Peter Venn said, asserting that dirtiest fossil fuel are now looking at renewables
renewable energy from Seriti’s wind project as the country strives to meet targets to lower
will be up to 40% cheaper than electricity from emissions.
Eskom. Another South African coal and chemicals
Seriti last August launched its foray into producer Sasol last month signed three renewa-
renewable energy with the acquisition of Wind- ble power purchase agreements (PPAs) totalling
lab Africa’s wind and solar energy assets, notes 289MW as it accelerates a programme to pro-
Reuters. The wind farm in Mpumalanga will be cure 1,200 MW of clean energy to decarbonise
the first step in 900 MW of renewable energy its operations.™

P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 07 15•February•2023