Seriti plans South African wind farm to power coal mining

Seriti plans to build the 155MW Ummbila Emoyeni Ummbila Emoyeni (155MW) OnshoreMpumalanga, South Africa, Middle East & Africa Click to see full details wind farm in Mpumalanga province in the north-east of South Africa, and to use all of its electricity output for its needs.

The project will be the first in a 900MW renewable energy complex planned in Mpumalanga, where many of the country’s coal mines are located. 

Seriti CEO Mike Teke said the wind farm would “contribute to relieving [grid operator] Eskom’s energy constraints”, with the grid operator’s power plants struggling to meet national demand.

Development of a wind farm in the area was initially proposed by Windlab Africa, which Seriti acquired last year. Seriti is seeking to improve their own energy supply and mitigate the impact of frequent power outages in the region.

Seriti Resources — the branch of the company responsible for coal mining operations — will team with the firm’s renewable division Seriti Green for the project. All of the electricity produced by the wind farm will provide 73% of Seriti Resources’ energy requirements, a spokesperson advised.

Construction on the project is due to begin in the second quarter of this year. The wind farm is set to come online in 2025. Construction of the remaining 750MW for the wider renewable energy project will begin by the end of 2023, Seriti Green stated. 

South Africa has 3.5GW of operational wind capacity, according to Windpower Intelligence, the research and data division of Windpower Monthly.