Balama Graphite Mine
Mozambique
Graphite is used in battery and electric vehicle components, and Balama mine produces natural graphite products such as spherical graphite, expandable graphite, and purified graphite flakes that are used in a variety of applications.
Syrah Resources established a state-of-the-art processing plant with a capacity of 2 million tonnes per annum to refine its graphite products. To provide energy to these operations, the company had built a thermal plant of 7 2.2MW diesel generators. However, this solution was cost- and carbon-intensive. CrossBoundary Energy developed an 11.25 MWp solar PV array, combined with a battery energy storage solution, that would complement the thermal plant, providing a fully off-grid hybrid solution.
The solar PV array consists of monofacial modules with tracking to enhance power production and an 8.5MWp battery energy storage solution for system stability. In total, the power plant consists of 20,832 modules, 1,056 batteries, 41 inverters and 4 transformer stations.
In addition to reducing carbon through buying power from CrossBoundary Energy’s solar solution, Syrah Resources have implemented a comprehensive environmental management plan that includes measures for water conservation, land rehabilitation, and biodiversity conservation.
