Komoa-Copper-to-power-Congolese-mine-with-baseload-solar

Kamoa Copper to power Congolese mine with baseload solar

Democratic Republic of the Congo

KOLWEZI, April 3, 2025 – Kamoa Copper and Nairobi-based renewables developer CrossBoundary Energy have signed a power purchase agreement under which CrossBoundary will supply baseload solar power to the Kamoa-Kakula copper mining complex in Kolwezi, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, CrossBoundary announced on Thursday.

With a copper production capacity of approximately 600,000 tonnes per year (tpy), Kamoa-Kakula is the largest complex of its kind in Africa. The project calls for the construction of a 222-MW solar PV system and a 526-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) that will provide 30 MW of dispatchable baseload power to the mine, offsetting fuel generators and reducing carbon emissions by around 78,750 tpy.

Although many mines have incorporated solar generation and battery systems into their operations, choosing solar generation for baseload power is rare, as the sector has typically been cautious of intermittency. However, the increasing efficiency of solar generation and the declining cost of BESS systems are making renewable baseload systems viable.

“Africa’s most significant hindrance to growth and investment is access to reliable and affordable power. Projects like these prove that distributed clean energy can now provide cheaper baseload power, even for heavy industry. We congratulate the Kamoa Copper team for this project, which will advance the whole sector,” said Matthew Tilleard, managing partner at CrossBoundary Energy.

Construction of the renewable energy facility is due to start in August 2025. Once complete, CrossBoundary will own and operate the plant, and Kamoa Copper will pay for the energy it consumes. Kamoa Copper is a joint venture between Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines, China’s Zijin Mining and the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which owns a 20% stake.

Photo courtesy of Komoa Copper