Beyond dust: How Dust-A-Side is protecting solar energy performance at Zimplats
As mining operations increasingly turn to renewable energy, protecting solar infrastructure from environmental challenges has become just as important as generating clean power. At Zimbabwe’s Zimplats Solar Farm, Dust-A-Side has shown how effective dust suppression can improve road conditions, reduce maintenance demands and support more efficient solar energy operations.
Solar energy is becoming an increasingly important part of Africa’s mining landscape. Mining companies are investing in renewable energy infrastructure to reduce their reliance on conventional power sources, and the focus is shifting beyond simply installing solar panels to ensuring that these facilities operate efficiently over the long term.
However, one often-overlooked challenge can significantly affect the performance of solar installations: dust.
At the Zimplats Solar Farm, located at the Selous Metallurgical Complex in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland West Province, dust generated by unpaved access roads, construction activities and vehicle movements is a growing operational challenge.
To address these challenges, Dust-A-Side implemented a dust suppression trial aimed at improving road stability, minimising airborne particles and protecting the surrounding solar infrastructure.
The project highlights the role effective dust management can play in enhancing operational safety, improving resource efficiency and supporting the long-term sustainability of renewable energy facilities.
A renewable energy investment worth protecting
The Zimplats Solar Farm forms part of the company’s broader strategy to reduce carbon emissions, stabilise energy costs and lessen its reliance on fossil-fuel-based electricity.
The facility supplies renewable electricity to Zimplats’ mining and processing operations at Ngezi and Selous, while provision is also made for surplus electricity to be supplied to Zimbabwe’s national grid through a net metering arrangement.
The first phase of the development, commissioned in August 2024, consists of a 35 MWac (40,5 MWp) solar photovoltaic plant spanning approximately 106 hectares.
A further 45 MW expansion is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2027. Once completed, this expansion is expected to increase the facility’s installed solar capacity to 80 MW.
Ultimately, Zimplats plans to develop 185 MW of solar generation capacity across multiple phases, representing an estimated investment of US$201 million.
With infrastructure on this scale, maintaining optimal operating conditions is essential. Although solar panels are designed to withstand environments and exposure to the elements, dust accumulation can reduce their ability to capture sunlight effectively.
When dust becomes more than a nuisance
At the Zimplats Solar Farm, the challenge extended beyond dusty roads.
Unpaved access routes, construction traffic, equipment movements and exposed surfaces all contributed to significant levels of airborne dust. As vehicles moved across the facility, fine particles became suspended in the air before settling on surrounding infrastructure, including photovoltaic panels.
The accumulation of dust on solar panels, commonly known as soiling, reduces the amount of solar radiation reaching their surface. Over time, this can compromise the panels’ efficiency and reduce electricity generation.
Dust build-up also increases maintenance requirements, as panels need to be cleaned more frequently to maintain optimal performance.
Beyond its impact on the solar infrastructure itself, dust also affects day-to-day site operations.
Reduced visibility along access roads posed potential safety risks for vehicle operators, maintenance teams and contractors. Loose road surfaces were also vulnerable to deterioration, resulting in a greater need for grading and ongoing maintenance.
Conventional dust control methods, such as repeated watering, presented another challenge. While water can temporarily suppress airborne dust, its effectiveness is short-lived as surfaces dry out and vehicle movement stirs up dust again.
This can result in repeated water-bowser movements, increased water consumption, additional equipment operating hours and higher labour demands.
For a facility around environmental sustainability, finding a more efficient approach to dust management was therefore particularly important.
A targeted approach to dust suppression
Dust-A-Side was appointed to implement a dust suppression programme across selected access roads and operational areas at the solar facility.
The trial covered approximately 22 000 m², with the objective of creating more stable road surfaces that could withstand vehicle movements and wind exposure to minimise dust generation.
Rather than relying solely on repeated surface watering, the treatment involved applying Dust-A-Side Black, a dust suppression product formulated to bind fine particles within the road’s wearing course.
Before application, the team assessed the existing road conditions, dust generation patterns and traffic movements to determine the most appropriate treatment approach.
Where necessary, road surfaces were graded to restore the profile, while loose material and excessive corrugations were removed to ensure a more consistent treatment surface.
Moisture levels were also assessed to optimise product application.
Once the preparation work was complete, the product was diluted and applied evenly using a calibrated water bowser fitted with spray bars.
According to the trial presentation, approximately 15 000 litres of Dust-A-Side Black and 585 000 litres of water were used during the application process, resulting in a reported product concentration of approximately 2,5%.
The treatment aimed to bind loose surface particles, creating a more cohesive wearing course better able to withstand traffic movements and wind erosion.
Importantly, the application was completed without a separate initial establishment treatment, demonstrating the treatment approach adopted for this trial.
From dusty access roads to improved operating conditions
The results reported following the application highlighted improvements across several key operational areas.
Before treatment, visible dust generation was classified as high, road visibility ranged from poor to moderate, and surfaces were generally loose and dusty.
Following treatment, visible dust generation was reported to have decreased substantially, while road visibility improved to a good standard.
The treatment also resulted in more stable road surfaces, with previously loose material binding together to form a more cohesive wearing course.
One of the most significant operational improvements was the reduction in watering frequency.
Before the trial, conventional dust suppression methods required roads to be watered several times a day. Following treatment, the need for watering in the treated areas was reportedly eliminated or greatly reduced.
This has important implications for overall operational efficiency.
Fewer watering cycles can reduce water consumption, limit water-bowser movements and lower equipment operating hours and labour required for routine dust management.
The trial also indicated that the treatment maintained its effectiveness for longer than conventional water-only dust suppression methods.
Rather than adhering to a fixed watering schedule, the presentation recommended considering reapplication when visible dust returns, surface binding begins to weaken, traffic volumes increase or weather conditions compromise the treated surface.
These findings suggest that a targeted dust suppression strategy can provide benefits that extend well beyond the immediate reduction of airborne dust.
Protecting solar performance through better dust management
For solar energy facilities, reducing airborne dust offers an additional benefit: helping to protect the performance of photovoltaic infrastructure.
When dust accumulates on solar panels, it forms a layer that obstructs sunlight from reaching the photovoltaic cells responsible for generating electricity.
By controlling dust at its source, the amount of material settling on nearby panels can be reduced, potentially lowering cleaning requirements and helping to maintain more consistent energy generation.
At Zimplats, improved solar radiation capture and increased electricity generation were identified as expected benefits of the dust suppression programme.
Although the trial presentation did not include measured improvements in solar output, the link between dust accumulation and photovoltaic performance highlights the importance of controlling airborne particles around solar installations.
Effective dust suppression can also help protect other sensitive infrastructure, including transformers, inverters, switchgear and electrical equipment, where dust build-up can increase maintenance demands.
By tackling airborne dust at its source, operators can maintain a cleaner operating environment while potentially reducing the maintenance requirements associated with exposed infrastructure.
Environmental benefits beyond the road surface
The environmental benefits of dust suppression extend beyond improved visibility and road conditions.
At a renewable energy facility, where sustainability is a central objective, reducing unnecessary water consumption and limiting equipment movements can contribute to broader environmental goals.
By limiting the need for continuous road watering, longer-lasting dust suppression treatments can help conserve valuable water resources.
Less water-bowser movements may also result in lower fuel consumption, reduced equipment operating hours and fewer associated emissions.
At the same time, controlling airborne dust contributes to better local air quality and limits the spread of particulate matter into surrounding operational areas.
These benefits are particularly relevant to the mining sector, where companies face growing expectations to demonstrate responsible resource management while improving operational performance.
The Zimplats trial illustrates how targeted interventions within a large-scale renewable energy development can contribute to more efficient site management and support broader sustainability objectives.
A solution with wider applications
As more mining companies across southern Africa invest in solar and hybrid renewable energy projects, effective dust management is likely to become an increasingly important consideration.
Solar facilities often span extensive areas, with access roads and maintenance routes running between large arrays of photovoltaic panels.
These roads are essential for construction, inspection and maintenance activities, but when left untreated, they can become persistent sources of airborne dust.
The Zimplats trial highlights the potential benefits of incorporating dust suppression into the planning and ongoing maintenance strategies of renewable energy facilities.
For Dust-A-Side, the project provides an opportunity to apply its established dust management expertise in an expanding sector where operational reliability, environmental responsibility and infrastructure protection go hand in hand.
The trial also reinforces the importance of recognising dust suppression as more than a routine road maintenance activity.
By improving surface stability, reducing airborne particles and limiting repeated watering requirements, effective dust management can support safer working conditions, more efficient resource use and better protection of valuable infrastructure.
Beyond dust, towards more sustainable operations
As the mining industry continues its transition towards cleaner energy, equal attention must be given to the conditions in which renewable energy infrastructure operates.
The Zimplats Solar Farm trial illustrates how controlling dust at its source can deliver tangible operational improvements while supporting broader environmental sustainability objectives.
For Dust-A-Side, the project reinforces a simple but important principle: effective dust control is about far more than keeping roads clean. It is about protecting valuable assets, improving operating conditions and helping industries operate more efficiently.
Because when every ray of sunlight matters, keeping dust under control matters too.
For more information about Dust-A-Side and its dust suppression solutions, contact the team on (+27)(0)12-648-8900 or email info@dustaside.com. Alternatively, visit www.dustaside.com
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