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A solar-plus-storage facility, described as the first in Africa to provide round-the-clock renewable electricity, has started operations at a copper mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The project, developed by independent power producer CrossBoundary Energy, reached commercial operation on 25 August, according to an announcement made earlier this week.
The hybrid facility, comprising 233MWp of solar PV and a 123MVA/526MWh battery energy storage system, supplies 30MW or more of dispatchable baseload power to the Kamoa Copper mining complex, which spans nearly 400 square kilometres. The complex is thought to be Africa’s largest copper mining operation, with two mines currently in production and additional areas under exploration.
While the performance guarantee ensures 30MW of firm power, CrossBoundary Energy noted that in early operation the PV plant has already provided more than 150MW, with 50MW supplied directly to the mine network and the remainder charging the batteries. The maximum expected output is 180MW.
CrossBoundary Energy’s development director for the DRC, Gracia Munganga, said the start of operations was a significant step toward mainstreaming round-the-clock renewable power. The company added that the adoption of 24/7 renewable energy will reduce the mine’s carbon emissions and lessen its exposure to diesel fuel cost volatility and supply chain risks. The hybrid plant operates at a 95% availability factor, according to a project fact sheet.
The power purchase agreement between CrossBoundary Energy and Kamoa Copper was signed in the second quarter of 2025. At that time, the company said the fuel offset would result in an annual reduction of 78,750 tonnes of CO2 emissions. CrossBoundary Energy noted that while solar and storage installations are becoming more common at mines, a fully round-the-clock power guarantee is rare due to the variable nature of renewable generation. The increasing efficiency of solar PV and declining battery storage costs made the project feasible at the Kamoa Copper site.
Kamoa Copper is a joint venture between Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines, China’s Zijin Mining Group, and the DRC government. The mine began producing copper concentrates in 2021, and in 2025, Africa’s largest copper smelter was commissioned at the complex. Prior to the CrossBoundary deal, the joint venture collaborated with the DRC’s state-owned electricity company, SNEL, to build a hydroelectric plant. The Mwadingusha hydropower station opened in the same year as the mine, and additional hydro capacity was added in 2025, providing a total of 250MW of clean power for the mine and the grid.
CrossBoundary Energy also highlighted the project’s rapid execution. More than 350,000 solar modules, 513 PV inverters, 90 BESS power conversion systems, 180 BESS enclosures, and other equipment were delivered, installed, commissioned, and put into commercial operation within 16 months of the PPA signing. Kamoa Copper project manager Auguy Bakome said the speed of delivery demonstrates how quickly renewable energy can be deployed at scale to support remote mining operations.
In a related note, Ivanhoe Mines’ sister company, Ivanhoe Electric, is the majority owner of VRB Energy, a vanadium redox flow battery technology company. Both companies are part of the Ivanhoe Capital group, led by Robert Friedland.
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