PPC Cement Zimbabwe announces solar investment

PPC Cement Zimbabwe has announced a US$40m solar power investment for its Bulawayo and Colleen Bawn plants to support the company’s energy requirements and help reduce gas supply in the country. 

The planned projects are expected to have a combined output of 30MW, ow which 17MW will be for internal consumption and the excess to be fed to the national grid, according to a report in the Chronicle.

The Bulawayo facility will set up a 10MW plant (set to over over 22ha of land), with 5MW planned for internal use. Over 20,000 panels will be ground-mounted on site and will be connected to the Bulawayo grinding plan and the ZESA grid. 

Meanwhile, the Colleen Bawn works will develop 20MW of capacity, 12MW of which will be used internally. The PV plan will span an area of 45ha.

Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony, PPC Head of Supply Chain and Strategic Projects, Dr Marvellas Sibanda said the initiative is one of the critical interventions which follow commitments made by PPC last year in November to reduce the negative impact of climate change on the environment.