Misplaced Pages

Balama Solar Power Station

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Solar farm in Mozambique

Balama Solar Power Station
CountryMozambique
LocationBalama, Balama District,
Cabo Delgado Province
Coordinates13°18′22″S 38°40′01″E / 13.30611°S 38.66694°E / -13.30611; 38.66694
StatusUnder construction
Construction began2022
Commission date2023 Expected
OwnerCrossBoundary Energy
OperatorSolarcentury Africa Limited
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Power generation
Nameplate capacity11.25 megawatts (15,090 hp)
[edit on Wikidata]

The Balama Solar Power Station, is a 11.25 megawatts (15,090 hp) solar power plant under construction in Mozambique. The project is owned and under development by Solarcentury an independent power producer (IPP), based in the United Kingdom. The solar farm will be connected to an 8.5 MW/8.5MWh battery storage system. The two energy sources will then be synchronized with the existing 15.4 MW diesel-fired thermal power source, to form a 35.15 MW hybrid power station. The energy generated here is used in the Balama Graphite Mine, owned and operated by Syrah Resources, a Canadian minerals and technology company.

Location

The power station sits on the campus of Syrah Resources, in the town of Balama, in Balama District in Cabo Delgado Province, in northern Mozambique. Balama is located approximately 262 kilometres (163 mi) by road, west of the city of Pemba, Mozambique, the capital of Cabo Delgado Province.

Overview

The Balama Graphite Mine is owned and operated by Syrah Resources, a Canadian minerals and technology company, with roots in Melbourne, Australia. Prior to 2023, the mine used electricity solely sourced from a 15.4 MW diesel-powered thermal power plant. The new solar farm (11.25 MW) and the attached 8.5 MW/8.5 MWh battery storage system will be integrated into the existing thermal power station to form a hybrid (thermal/solar/battery storage) power plant. It is expected that the new hybrid power source will cut down diesel consumption at the mine by 35 percent.

Financing

In April 2022, Solarcentury Africa Limited concluded financing and ownership arrangements with CrossBoundary Energy and Syrah Resources. Under those arrangements, Solar Century Africa is expected to form an ad hoc company to design, construct, operate and maintain the power station under "a hybrid power control system."

CrossBoundary Energy will retain ownership of the new solar and battery facilities. Solarcentury will maintain an "operating lease" and an "operating and maintenance contract". The new facilities will be maintained under a build–own–operate–transfer (BOOT) arrangement. After 10 years from commercial commissioning, ownership will transfer from CrossBoundary Energy to Syrah Resources. Syrah Resources will consume all the energy generated by the solar farm and battery storage system.

Timeline

Construction is expected to begin in 2022, with commercial commissioning anticipated in 2023.

See also

References

  1. ^ Jean Marie Takouleu (8 April 2022). "Mozambique: Solarcentury closes financing for solar power plant at Balama mine". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  2. Daniel Gleeson (22 December 2020). "Syrah to integrate solar, battery power solution at Balama graphite mine". Im-Mining.com. Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  3. ^ Africa Energy Portal (11 April 2022). "Mozambique: Solarcentury closes financing for solar power plant at Balama mine". Africa-Energy-Portal.org. Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  4. "Road Distance Between Pemba, Mozambique And Balama, Mozambique, With Map" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  5. ^ Hawilti (7 April 2022). "Mozambique's Balama graphite mine to rely on new hybrid solar/thermal power system". Hawilti.com. Ebene, Mauritius. Retrieved 19 April 2022.

External links

Categories: