Anglo American and EDF Renewables announce the launch of their new company Envusa Energy in South Africa. Their project aims to install a regional renewable energy ecosystem (RREE).
Improving the energy transition
Anglo American and EDF Renewables announce agreement for 600MW of wind and solar projects. Wind and solar projects will generate 3 to 5GW of renewable energy by 2030. The first phase will begin construction in 2023.
In March 2022, the two companies decided to meet Anglo American’s operational power needs in South Africa. The project supports the resilience of local electricity supply systems as well as the decarbonization of energy in the country. The regional renewable energy ecosystem is therefore enabling the improvement of the country’s equitable energy transition.
This energy portfolio approach will aggregate energy from geographically dispersed renewable generation assets. It also optimally distributes this energy to meet the load demand of Anglo American’s sites. Nolitha Fakude, chairman of the board of Anglo American in South Africa, says:
“This is an important milestone in Anglo American’s global decarbonization journey and another step forward for South Africa’s clean energy future. We are making great strides toward our 2040 carbon neutrality goal, while contributing to South Africa’s equitable energy transition through our responsible approach.”
A strategic partnership
The regional renewable energy ecosystem is an opportunity to help build a more collaborative and inclusive economy. The development of the ecosystem will generate a series of new economic opportunities. It also helps unlock South Africa’s growth and development potential.
Tristan de Drouas, CEO of EDF Renewables in South Africa, says:
“This partnership with Anglo American confirms our long-term prospects in the country: this first tranche of 600 MW projects will add to the nearly 1 GW that EDF Renewables will build or operate in the country by 2023 – including 420 MW of wind projects under the REIPPP Bid Window 5, whose PPAs were signed with Eskom and the DMRE on September 22, 2022. Together, these projects are part of the EDF Group’s CAP 2030 strategy, which aims to double our net installed renewable energy capacity worldwide from 28 GW in 2015 to 60 GW in 2030.”
The RREE deployment also serves as a clean energy source for Anglo American’s renewable hydrogen production. A fleet of mining trucks will be powered by hydrogen and reduce diesel emissions.
The project supports a carbon neutral future and the development of South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley. This progress allows the African continent to be part of the ecological transition that is more than urgent. Other projects under development in South Africa and the rest of the African continent are accelerating this transition.
