AGREEMENT FOR GROUNDBREAKING BASELOAD RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM IN THE DRC
INVESTING IN THE LOBITO CORRIDOR: FOCUS ON ESG- RELATED DISPUTES
• PROJECTS AND EXPLORATION
AGREEMENT FOR GROUNDBREAKING BASELOAD RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM IN THE DRC
Location: DRC Phase: Development Resource: Baseload renewable energy
Early in April this year, Kamoa Copper SA and CrossBoundary Energy signed a power purchase agreement( PPA) to provide baseload renewable energy to the Kamoa-Kakula Copper mining complex, one of the largest copper mines in the world, situated near Kolwezi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo( DRC).
Kamoa Copper SA is a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines, Zijin Mining Group, and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which owns a 20 % stake in the company. The mining complex is the largest of its kind in Africa, with copper production capacity of approximately 600 000 tonnes per annum. The ramp-up of the new on-site direct-to-blister copper smelter is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2025.
Franck Alloghe, Business Development director for CrossBoundary Energy, said,“ This agreement represents a change in energy supply for mining operations, indicating that diesel or HFO generators are no longer the only viable option for guaranteed baseload power generation. We look forward to executing this project with the Kamoa Copper team. Baseload from the sun is here.”
Construction of the renewable energy facility is due to start in August 2025.
The Kamoa Copper mining complex is one of the largest and fastest-growing copper complexes globally, with significant energy needs. The company’ s commitment to incorporating renewable energy components underscores its ambition to lead the sustainable mining industry and energy transition.
Renewable baseload system is now viable and cheaper than the diesel generators currently providing power to the mine.
Image by Freepik
This solar project is the first of its kind in Africa and will include a 222MWp solar PV system and a 123MVA / 526MWh battery energy storage system( BESS). The plant will provide a 30MW dispatchable renewable baseload energy supply to the mine, offsetting fuel generators and reducing carbon emissions by around 78 750 tonnes per year.
CrossBoundary Energy will own and operate the plant, and Kamoa Copper will pay for the energy it consumes. The plant is expected to produce ~ 300 000MWh of clean energy per year.
While many mines have incorporated solar PV and BESS systems into their operations, the supply of baseload energy – a guaranteed power output at all times – is rare for solar PV and BESS, as the sector has typically been cautious of intermittency. However, due to the increasing efficiency of solar PV and the declining cost of BESS components, a renewable baseload system is now viable and cheaper than the diesel generators currently providing power to the mine.
Annebel Oosthuizen, MD of Kamoa Copper, said,“ This is a pivotal moment for Kamoa Copper and the DRC. As a company, Kamoa Copper has been setting innovative benchmarks in various domains, and with this partnership on baseload renewable energy, we will continue to do so.”
Auguy Bakome, project manager at Kamoa Copper, said,“ The solar project is a key milestone in delivering clean, reliable energy to Kamoa Copper. With advanced solar and battery systems, we’ re boosting energy resilience, cutting emissions and advancing sustainable mining. We commend CrossBoundary Energy for their professionalism and technical expertise.”
Matthew Tilleard, managing partner at CrossBoundary Energy, said,“ 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 SA team for this project, which will advance the whole sector.”
INVESTING IN THE LOBITO CORRIDOR: FOCUS ON ESG- RELATED DISPUTES
By Priyesh Daya, partner; Nick Alp partner; Brittany Leroni, senior associate and Litha Raziya candidate attorney at Webber Wentzel
Location: Angola, DRC, Zambia Phase: Development
In an article about investing in the Lobito Corridor international arbitration as a key dispute resolution mechanism, 1 we highlighted the importance of international arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism for disputes which may arise from the Lobito Corridor project. Potential disputes identified included contractual disagreements, environmental impacts, human rights violations, corruption, community conflicts and compliance-related complaints. This article explores the possibility of environmental, social and governance( ESG)-related disputes arising from the Lobito Corridor project and considers international arbitration as a key mechanism for resolving such disputes.
A recent policy brief published by the United Nations examined challenges that may be encountered in developing the Corridor. The brief highlighted concerns about environmental impacts, the necessity of ensuring adequate local development, managing community conflict, promoting gender inclusivity and protecting human rights.
Similar challenges were identified in the Republic of Zambia ' s report of the Committee on Transport, Works, and Supply on the Lobito Corridor Transport Facilitation Agreement( LCTFA). The
10 • African Mining • June 2025 www. africanmining. co. za