Name of the Project
QMM renewable-energy plant.

Location
Fort Dauphin, Southern Madagascar.

Project Owner/s
The project will be owned and operated by independent power producer CrossBoundary Energy.

Project Description
The renewable-energy plant will power the operations of Rio Tinto’s QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM) ilmenite mine.

The plant will supply all QMM’s electricity demand during peak generation times, and up to 60% of the operations’ yearly electricity consumption.

The project is part of a broader initiative to reduce the mine’s environmental footprint, which includes programmes that focus on emissions reduction, waste and water management, carbon sequestration, ecological restoration and reforestation.

The plant will comprise an 8 MW solar facility and a 12 MW wind energy facility to power mining and processing operations.

There will also be a lithium-ion battery energy storage system of up to 8.25 MW as reserve capacity to ensure a stable and reliable network.

The renewable-energy plant will comprise more than 18 000 solar panels and up to nine wind turbines in the Port Ehoala Park area.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
Not stated.

Planned Start/End Date
Construction is expected to start this year, with the solar plant scheduled to start operations in early 2022. Construction for the wind power plant is planned for early 2022 and to become operational by the end of 2022.

Latest Developments
Rio Tinto signed a power purchase agreement for the new renewable-energy plant in July 2021.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
CrossBoundary Energy, email projects@crossboundary.com.