Renewable energy company Scatec has signed a two-year lease agreement with Engie to provide a mobile plug-and-play solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at its hydrogen production plant at Anglo American Platinum’s Mokalakwena mine, in Limpopo.
Scatec launched its Release by Scatec service in September 2019 – a service through which it offers industrial players in emerging markets access to flexible, reliable and low-cost power.
Release designs, finances and installs scalable solar power plants and battery storage, and leases out equipment on short- or long-term contracts.
This is Scatec’s first involvement with powering hydrogen production, and further proves the potential for pre-assembled and containerised solar PV in the mining industry.
The plant will produce 616 kW of solar energy.
“The agreement is another important milestone for us in delivering reliable and renewable power to the mining industry, but also as a way of powering hydrogen production.
“The Release model is gaining traction, and with its flexibility both with regards to contract term and capacity, has great potential in mining," says Scatec Release VP Hans Olav Kvalvaag.
The new plant will be a model for how to decarbonise hydrogen production in the mining industry for the future.
Release has great expectations for the project and its potential to be rolled out on a greater scale.