By: Energy capital & power

Mining company Kamoa Copper and investment firm CrossBoundary Energy have signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) to supply baseload renewable energy to the Kamoa-Kakula Copper mining complex in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Construction of the renewable energy facility is scheduled to commence in August 2025.

The new solar project will feature a 222 MWp solar photovoltaic system coupled with a 123 MVA/526 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). This infrastructure will deliver a 30 MW dispatchable renewable baseload energy supply to the mining complex, effectively offsetting the use of fuel generators and reducing carbon emissions by approximately 78,750 tons annually. CrossBoundary Energy will assume ownership and operational responsibilities for the plant, with Kamoa Copper compensating for the energy consumed. The facility is projected to generate around 300,000 MWh of clean energy each year.

Annebel Oosthuizen, Managing Director, Kamoa Copper, commented that “From Kamoa Copper’s side, we are committed to providing unwavering support to ensure our suppliers’ success, as we demand excellence in all our collaborations.”

The Kamoa-Kakula mining complex boasts a production capacity of approximately 600,000 tons of copper per annum. The complex is currently undergoing an expansion, with the addition of an on-site direct-to-blister copper smelter on track for completion by Q2, 2025. 

“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,” added Matthew Tilleard, Managing Partner, CrossBoundary Energy.