KEY POINTS
- Northam plans to make Eland South Africa’s first PGM mine powered entirely by renewable energy.
- Renewable projects could cut Northam’s carbon intensity by 70% and electricity costs by about R1bn annually by 2028.
- Northam’s FY2026 operating profit jumped more than 293%, with revenue rising 64% to R54bn.
Northam Platinum is advancing plans to transform its Eland platinum group metals (PGMs) and chrome mine in South Africa into what could become the country’s first PGM operation powered entirely by renewable energy.
The company says Eland already has a major environmental advantage because it is water positive. If Northam succeeds in eliminating its reliance on external water sources before the end of the decade, the mine could achieve an even stronger green profile.
Northam Platinum CEO Paul Dunne outlined the plans on August 28, 2026, during the Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed company’s financial results presentation, where the group also announced exceptionally strong earnings and record dividends.
Dunne said the company would continue expanding its renewable-energy programme, describing the commissioning of an 80 MW solar farm at the Zondereinde mine as a significant milestone.
The solar facility is expected to generate about 220,000 MWh of electricity annually. It will also reduce Zondereinde’s carbon emissions by approximately 240,000 tonnes a year while cutting the mine’s energy costs by about 15%.
Northam is simultaneously developing several other renewable-energy projects across its operations.
Among them is the 140 MW Karreebosch wind farm in South Africa’s Karoo region between Matjiesfontein and Sutherland. Construction is progressing, with 22 of the project’s 25 wind towers already erected. The facility remains on schedule for commissioning in 2027.
Once operational, Karreebosch is expected to generate approximately 460,000 MWh of electricity for the Eskom grid. Northam will be able to allocate the electricity among its operations through a wheeling arrangement.
The wind project is expected to cut the company’s carbon emissions by more than 500,000 tonnes annually and reduce group energy costs by another 10%.
Northam is also developing the 255 MW Thakadu photovoltaic solar project near Klerksdorp in North West province. The project is scheduled for commissioning around the middle of 2027, with its electricity similarly supplied through the Eskom grid and allocated across Northam’s operations.
At Eland itself, Northam has begun clearing land for the construction of a solar and battery facility.
The project will initially provide 20 MW of solar capacity, with plans to expand it to 40 MW. In its first phase, the facility is expected to produce about 55 MWh of energy and eliminate roughly 60,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.
Dunne said Eland offered Northam a particularly important opportunity because the combination of renewable electricity and its water-positive status could allow the mine to become a model for environmentally sustainable PGM production.
“At Eland, we have a truly unique opportunity to create the first PGM mine in South Africa operating solely on renewable energy,” Dunne said.
The company plans to phase out external water supplies at Eland before the end of the decade, further strengthening its environmental credentials.
