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Tronox Announces Second Major Renewable Energy Project in South Africa - SolarQuarter

SolarQuarter · last updated

Tronox Announces Second Major Renewable Energy Project in South Africa - SolarQuarter

Tronox Holdings plc (NYSE), the world’s leading integrated manufacturer of titanium dioxide pigment, today announced a long-term power purchase agreement with NOA Group, an integrated energy utility. This agreement covers approximately 497 GWh of energy from wind and solar power plants with a capacity exceeding 200 MW. The renewable energy will power Tronox’s mines and smelters in South Africa through fixed and flexible arrangements. The project is expected to be fully implemented by the end of 2027, reducing Tronox’s global Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions by an additional 12%.

This announcement is part of Tronox’s ongoing efforts to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It follows a 200 MW solar power agreement with SOLA Group, fully implemented as of April 2024, which provides power to Tronox’s operations and benefits the local community. With the completion of the latest project, around 70% of Tronox’s electricity needs in South Africa will be met by renewable energy, cutting in-country emissions by 54%. Tronox is also pursuing renewable energy projects in other countries, including a partnership with Pacific Energy in Australia to deliver a hybrid power system for its Atlas-Campaspe mine in New South Wales.

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“NOA is extremely excited to partner with Tronox in delivering on their long-term decarbonization strategy through an innovative product which blends both wind and solar generation to optimize renewable energy penetration,” remarked NOA’s Chief Executive Officer, Karel Cornelissen.

Tronox’s Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of Investor Relations, Jennifer Guenther, added, “Tronox’s renewable energy agreements with SOLA and NOA will reduce our global Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 25% compared to our 2019 baseline, marking significant progress on our decarbonization roadmap towards net zero carbon emissions. By transitioning from coal-based to renewable power in South Africa and implementing innovative technologies at our sites, we are protecting our land, water, air, and ecosystems while investing in our products, people, and communities. Preserving our privilege to operate is critical for our strategy today and our future. We will outline key initiatives across emissions and waste reduction, water management, social initiatives, and more in our 2023 Sustainability Report, which we expect to publish in the coming weeks.”

Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: renewables

State of Play

Renewable energy sources — once the fuel of the future, then practical in specific, narrow applications — are increasingly economic mainstream sources of power generation. Hydropower was long the mainstay of U.S. renewable electricity generation, although wind power surpassed hydro for the first time in 2019, and solar continues its rapid growth. The continued growth of wind and solar, with their fluctuations, is tied in part to improvements in storage technology: batteries.

More informationabout ENERGY BASICS: renewables