Sibanye’s South African solar site achieves commercial operations
BY
Ben Graham
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South African miner Sibanye-Stillwater (JSE: SSW, NYSE: SBSW) has taken another step in its decarbonization journey with the achievement of commercial operation at the Springbok solar photovoltaic project.
Situated in Free State Province, Springbok represents Sibanye’s first solar wheeling project, and the second renewable energy project supplying its mine operations to reach commercial operation this year.
The 150 megawatt alternating current (representing 195 MWp in peak direct current) solar project is developed and financed by the SOLA Group, a South African independent power producer. Sibanye is an anchor off-taker of the project and will procure 75MW (50%) of the plant’s capacity for a 10-year period, with an option to extend the duration through a power purchase agreement with SOLA.
Key benefits of the solar project, according to Sibanye, include cost savings relative to prevailing state-owned Eskom utility rates and escalating at consumer price index (CPI), resulting in expected yearly cost savings of more than R60 million across its South African operations.
In addition, the company expects the Springbok project to generate approximately 4% of its annual energy requirements in South Africa and result in the immediate reduction of 229,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (3.6% of group Scope 1 and 2 emissions) each year.
The start of commercial operations at Springbok is a “further milestone in the establishment of its portfolio of privately developed renewable energy projects,” Sibanye stated in a press release.
“This is the second project to achieve commercial operation in our 407MW portfolio of contracted renewable energy projects, contributing to our goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040,” Richard Stewart, Sibanye’s CEO, said.
In April, the company also started operations at the 89MW Castle wind farm. Together, the two projects have brought 164MW of renewable energy projects involving Sibanye-Stillwater online in 2025, Sibanye said.