South Africa’s largest standalone battery storage project advances to financial close

Africa’s largest standalone battery energy storage system (BESS) project, the 153 MW/ 612 MWh Red Sands project in the Northern Cape, has reached financial close, having raised some R5.4-billion in debt financing from Absa and Standard Bank. The project was selected as a preferred bidder in 2024 following the first BESS public procurement bidding round, and is being developed by Globeleq in partnership with African Rainbow Energy.
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Zambia launches 100 MW solar plant supplying First Quantum Minerals

Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema on Monday opened the country’s biggest grid-connected solar power plant, built by PowerChina, which will supply electricity to copper miner First Quantum Minerals. The 100 megawatt Chisamba project is expected to reduce the Southern African country’s reliance on electricity imports from neighbours South Africa and Mozambique.
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