Niël Terblanché
A United Kingdom-based investment firm Appian Capital Advisory LLP has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Emesco Energy’s 5.4 MW photovoltaic installation near the Rosh Pinah Zinc Mine.
The deal sets the stage for an expansion that will more than triple the plant’s current capacity to 16.3 megawatts, supplying the mine with cleaner and more cost-effective energy and is a substantial boost to the country’s renewable energy sector.
In its statement announcing the takeover, Emesco managing director Rinus Strydom stressed the importance of the initiative and expanded on the financial and environmental benefits of the plans.
“The expanded solar plant will reduce Rosh Pinah’s electricity costs by 8% over the next 15 years while providing 30% of the required energy for the mine’s expansion. This investment by Appian is a pivotal step not only in expanding the Rosh Pinah Solar Park renewable energy plant but also expanding Namibia’s energy generation in general,” he said.
Strydom added that Emesco Energy will continue operating and overseeing the expansion of the solar plant and welcomed the investment as a crucial milestone for the country’s renewable energy landscape.
The increased capacity is also projected to cut the mine’s annual CO2 emissions by approximately 14 000 tonnes, marking a significant step toward greener industrial operations.
The Rosh Pinah mine, which is currently undergoing an ambitious expansion, aims to increase ore production from 700 000 tonnes to 1.3 million tonnes per year.
Now more than 60% complete, the project will benefit directly from the additional solar power capacity.
Michael Scherb, the chief executive of Appian said that the company’s investment in the solar plant aligns with its broader clean energy strategy, which includes the development of 20 solar plants in Brazil to support its mining portfolio in the Minas Gerais region.
“This is an important investment that will support Appian’s decarbonisation ambitions and provide tangible cost benefits to Rosh Pinah Zinc while offering attractive risk-adjusted returns to our investors,” Scherb said.
According to Scherb, the government has made increasing renewable energy capacity a priority in recent years, aiming to reduce dependency on electricity imports and fossil fuel-based generation.
The country currently has an installed renewable energy capacity of approximately 150 megawatts from solar and wind sources, with additional projects under development.
Scherb said that investments like the Rosh Pinah expansion are crucial in Namibia’s transition to a more sustainable power sector to diversify and strengthen the energy mix.
