Richards Bay, South Africa -- Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) and international renewable energy company Voltalia have today announced the commissioning of the Bolobedu Solar Farm, located in Limpopo province.
The first megawatt-hours of green electricity have been successfully fed into the national grid, marking a key milestone in the long-term partnership between both companies and South Africa's energy transition.
Following the agreement signed in 2022, Voltalia and its local Black Empowerment (BEE) partners have constructed the plant with a total installed capacity of 148 megawatts, which once fully operational, will reduce RBM's annual greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10 per cent, or approximately 237,000 tonnes per year. This is one of the largest solar plants in South Africa dedicated to meet the energy needs of a single company – marking a critical step forward in RBM's commitment to sustainable mining into the future as part of the recently approved Zulti South project.
The renewable power is supplied to RBM's KwaZulu Natal operations through a wheeling arrangement via the Eskom Transmission Network.
RBM Managing Director Werner Duvenhage said: "Commissioning of the Bolobedu Solar Farm is a defining moment for RBM as we celebrate 50 years of operations in South Africa. This initiative is not just about energy security, it is about the long-term sustainability of the business. As we break ground on Zulti South, this initiative paves the way for a cleaner energy future, contributing to both the national power grid and our global decarbonization targets."
Voltalia Chief Executive Officer Robert Klein said: "The delivery of the first megawatt-hours from Bolobedu illustrates our commitment to accelerating the decarbonization of industries and supporting inclusive energy transition in South Africa involving local communities."
This initiative is part of RBM's broader portfolio of renewable energy projects, including wind power purchase agreements, which together are expected to reduce the operation's Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by around 60 per cent compared to a 2018 baseline.
