Agreement comprises more than 20 000 solar panels and a total rated capacity of 13.5MWp.
Atlantis Foundries, one of Africa’s largest foundry operations, has signed a long-term power purchase agreement with Energy Partners, an integrated energy solutions company. Atlantis Foundries is part of major vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck AG, commonly known and referred to as Mercedes, a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Würtemberg.
According to the terms of the agreement, Energy Partners will engineer, finance, construct and operate the ground-mounted solar energy system at Atlantis Foundries’ production plant in Atlantis, approximately 50kms north of Cape Town, along the West Coast of South Africa, comprising more than 20 000 solar panels with a total rated capacity of 13.5MWp.
The proposed site plan of where the various equipment is to be installed for the renewable energy adoption project at Atlantis Foundries
“It will be the Western Cape’s largest embedded generation solar project and likely the highest CO2 emissions saving in South African auto industry to date. The project is set to commence on 1 May 2024 and will provide Atlantis Foundries with a reliable electricity source at a substantially reduced cost over the next 20 years. It will also align Atlantis Foundries with growing environmental awareness in the automotive industry,” said Manie de Waal Chief Executive Officer of Energy Partners.
“Opting for renewable energy is a significant step, and the system that we designed for Atlantis Foundries is expected to save more than 22 000 tons of CO2 emissions annually, which is likely the highest reduction achieved in the South African automobile industry up until now. In financial terms, the system will generate electricity worth more than R35 million per year at current average Eskom tariffs,” explained de Waal.
The system, which has been specifically engineered to align with the foundry’s electrical consumption profile, is estimated to replace up to 20 per cent of Atlantis Foundries’ annual electricity consumption, considerably reducing its carbon footprint and representing a major step towards sustainable energy utilisation.
Celebrating the signing of the agreement are Charl du Plessis of Energy Partners, Walter Mubai and Pieter du Plessis, both of Atlantis Foundries with Manie de Waal and Kurt Miller, both of Energy Partners
It will be integrated into Atlantis Foundries’ electrical network that is connected to the City of Cape Town’s grid, and excess energy generated by the plant will be fed into the City’s network through the feed-in programme, contributing to the overall renewable energy capacity of Cape Town.
Collaborating for renewable energy adoption
“Atlantis Foundries constantly sets and exceeds global best practice. Our commitment is to both our shareholders, stakeholders and the environment. With this renewable energy generation project, we are setting new standards in the South African automotive industry and alleviating pressure on our constrained national grid. It is a result of extensive cooperation between the Atlantis Foundries and Energy Partners teams, in conjunction with the Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town. Thank you to everyone involved,” commented Pieter du Plessis, Atlantis Foundries’ Chief Executive Officer.