Published: 10 July 2026

In an industry where margins are squeezed deep underground and every kilowatt carries a cost, the ability to secure reliable, competitively priced energy is no longer a strategic advantage, it is an operational imperative. NOA and Siyanda Bakgatla Platinum Mine have entered into a landmark renewable energy supply agreement, that speaks directly to that reality. SBPM was advised by specialised wheeling brokers, Solink Energy Brokers. Read the press release here.

A mine built on scale, precision and community

Siyanda Bakgatla Platinum Mine (SBPM) is one of South Africa’s foremost black-owned platinum group metal (PGM) mining operations, situated in Swartklip, straddling the Limpopo and North West Provinces within the heart of the Bushveld Igneous Complex.

With underground operations reaching depths of 850 to 1,400 metres with a significant resource base, SBPM is a substantial and long-horizon PGM mining and processing business. SBPM’s commitment to the local communities is central to its identity. The mine actively pursues the transformation and economic empowerment of surrounding communities, building relationships through its Social Performance programmes and the fulfilment of its Social and Labour Plan commitments. The Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela community is a co-owner, and contributor to the success of SBPM.

The energy challenge of deep-level platinum mining

Mining is energy-intensive by nature. At SBPM, continuous ventilation of shafts reaching over a kilometre below surface, the operation of winders, pumps, crushers, concentrators and processing facilities, as well as surface infrastructure supporting thousands of employees, create an energy footprint that is both substantial and largely non-negotiable.

As South Africa’s electricity tariffs have escalated significantly over recent years, the cost of grid power has become one of the most consequential line items on any mine’s income statement. For a margin-sensitive commodity business operating in a challenging global PGM pricing environment, securing cost certainty is not a peripheral concern – it is fundamental to the economic sustainability of the operation.

A flexible, multi-technology solution at meaningful scale

NOA’s solution for SBPM is designed to meet the mine’s energy requirements through diversified renewable energy supply of 288GWh per annum, a figure that reflects both the scale of the mine’s demand and NOA’s capacity to aggregate and deliver across multiple generation technologies.

The solution draws on NOA’s fleet of wind, solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) facilities – a deliberate multi-technology architecture that provides energy generation across different weather conditions and times of day, reducing the variability inherent in any single renewable source. This approach ensures that SBPM benefits from a more consistent and dependable renewable supply profile, aligned to the continuous operational demands of a platinum mine.

The NOA and SBPM partnership is structured on a medium-term basis with the flexibility to extend over the long term, an arrangement that reflects NOA’s commitment to structuring solutions around SBPM’s operational and commercial requirements rather than applying a rigid template. This flexibility is particularly valuable in the mining sector, where production profiles, commodity cycles and capital planning horizons require partners who can adapt alongside the business.

Industry perspectives

“Siyanda Bakgatla Platinum Mine is precisely the kind of high-quality South African operation that exemplifies why a flexible, large-scale renewable energy solution matters – it delivers predictable price certainty and cost savings relative to existing alternatives, and contributes to decarbonisation objectives. Our ability to deliver 288GWh per year through a combination of wind, solar and battery energy storage – on terms that work for the mine’s operational and commercial realities – is what NOA is built to do.” Karel Cornelissen, Group CEO, NOA

“Energy is one of the largest and most difficult cost lines to manage in our business. At the scale we operate, even marginal improvements in energy pricing and reliability translate directly into our ability to sustain employment, invest in our people and continue developing the communities around us. The NOA solution gives us meaningful cost relief, supply flexibility and a credible pathway to reducing our carbon footprint – all of which are critical to how we run our mine responsibly and sustainably.” Imraan Osman, CFO, Siyanda Bakgatla Platinum Mine

Environmental responsibility and the case for renewable energy in mining

The transition to renewable energy sources within mining operations represents one of the most impactful levers available to the sector in reducing its Scope 2 carbon emissions. For SBPM, a business that has embedded environmental stewardship as a core operating value alongside safety and community engagement, this partnership with NOA advances that commitment in a measurable and commercially grounded way.

The renewable energy supply from NOA’s wind, solar and BESS facilities will displace a substantial volume of carbon-intensive grid electricity, contributing to SBPM’s broader sustainability objectives and support South Africa’s national energy transition. In a sector where the social licence to operate is earned through demonstrated environmental responsibility alongside community benefit, the credibility of this commitment matters.

About the author

Adam Cook is a Commercial Lead at NOA, based in Johannesburg. He works closely with commercial and industrial customers to structure energy solutions that meet their operational and financial needs. Before joining NOA, Adam held senior commercial and business development roles, building a career focused on deal-structuring in South Africa’s energy sector.

About Siyanda Bakgatla Platinum Mine

Siyanda Bakgatla Platinum Mine (Pty) Ltd (SBPM) is a subsidiary of Siyanda Resources (Pty) Ltd. SBPM is a PGM mining and processing business operating in Swartklip, Limpopo. The mine was acquired from Anglo American Platinum (now Valterra Platinum) in 2018 through a partnership between Siyanda Resources, the Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela community, and employees. SBPM employs approximately 5,300 internal staff members and 2,800 contractors . The mine is committed to safety, environmental stewardship, and the economic empowerment of its host communities. SBPM is majority owned by Siyanda Resources. Siyanda Resources is a black-owned  mining investment company. The Public Investment Corporation (PIC) is a significant shareholder in Siyanda Resources.