Anglo American secures 100% renewable energy supply for SA operations

Anglo American has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with EDF Renewables to work together towards developing a regional renewable energy ecosystem (RREE) that will help meet the group’s operational electricity requirements in South Africa by 2030.
The diversified miner had already secured 100% renewable electricity supply for all its operations in South America, resulting in 56% of its global grid supply expected to be sourced from renewables by 2023.
“In South Africa, while there is an abundance of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, there is limited renewables infrastructure to harness it,” said Anglo.
“As Anglo American progresses towards its 2040 target of carbon-neutral operations, this partnership with EDF Renewables is designed to abate the largest single source of its Scope 2 emissions, being its current grid supply in South Africa.”
The RREE will draw on South Africa's natural renewable energy potential to develop a network of on-site and off-site solar and wind farms, amongst other opportunities, offering 24/7 renewable energy to Anglo American operations.
“Anglo American anticipates that a number of partners will provide equity financing for the RREE, in addition to the RREE attracting debt financing that is typical for high-quality energy infrastructure projects,” it said.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished