PARIS, France, April 4, 2025/APO Group/ –The upcoming Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Forum will host a high-level panel – Downstream Beneficiation: Supply Chain Development for Optimal Performance – as the continent aims to enhance energy security, reduce import dependence and maximize the value of its natural resources. The session will explore how the expansion of Africa’s downstream sector can strengthen supply chains, enhance refining capacity and drive sustainable economic growth through infrastructure investment and strategic partnerships.

As Africa’s energy landscape evolves, optimizing downstream operations is critical to unlocking the full potential of the continent’s natural resources. This session will focus on closing the infrastructure finance gap by addressing key challenges such as upgrading refineries, expanding storage and distribution networks, and developing service stations, bottling plants and transport fleets. Panelists will also examine the role of strategic hubs – such as Egypt’s petrochemical industry, Equatorial Guinea’s Gas Mega Hub and Algeria’s emerging green hydrogen sector – in bolstering Africa’s supply chain efficiency, along with key regional projects like the Central African Pipeline System and the Lobito Corridor linking Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

IAE 2025 (https://apo-opa.co/43FPXaT) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Moderated by James Gooder, VP Crude, Argus Media, the panel will feature industry leaders offering key insights into Africa’s downstream sector. Speakers include Anibor Kragha, Executive Secretary, African Refiners & Distributors Association; Tarik Berair, Commercial Development Manager, Technip Energies; Fernando Covas, Executive Director, S&P Global Commodity Insights; James Bullen, Head of Downstream, Petredec and Michael Kelly, Chief Advocacy Officer, World Liquid Gas Association.

Africa’s downstream investment climate is undergoing significant transformation, with several major projects driving the sector’s growth including Nigeria’s 650,000-bpd Dangote Refinery, Angola’s 200,000-bpd Lobito and 100,000-bpd Soyo refineries, and Algeria’s 100,000-bpd Hassi Messaoud Refinery. Despite recent refinery closures, South Africa also maintains a well-developed fuel distribution network, retail stations and petrochemical production, while Mozambique is emerging as a key LNG hub, with the Coral South FLNG project already operational and the Rovuma LNG and Mozambique LNG projects currently under development.

Despite these advancements, challenges remain in securing adequate financing for infrastructure upgrades and supply chain expansion. Addressing these gaps will require coordinated efforts from governments, private investors and industry stakeholders to develop resilient and efficient downstream operations. The IAE 2025 downstream panel will provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss actionable strategies that ensure Africa’s energy sector remains competitive, sustainable and responsive to global demand.

KOLWEZI, Democratic Republic of the Congo, April 4, 2025/APO Group/ —

• Kamoa Copper S.A. and CrossBoundary Energy (www.CrossboundaryEnergy.com) have signed a power purchase agreement to provide a 30 MW baseload renewable energy supply to the Kamoa-Kakula Copper mining complex in the DRC
• The renewable energy system will include a 222 MWp solar PV system and a 123 MVA/526 MWh battery energy storage system, offsetting significant fuel generator usage
• This agreement marks a significant step towards sustainable mining practices, demonstrating that baseload renewable energy from solar PV and batteries is a viable and cost-effective alternative to diesel generators for mines

Kamoa Copper S.A. and CrossBoundary Energy have signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) to provide baseload renewable energy to the Kamoa-Kakula Copper mining complex, one of the largest copper mines in the world, situated near Kolwezi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Kamoa Copper S.A. is a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines, Zijin Mining Group, and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which owns a 20% stake in the company. The mining complex is the largest of its kind in Africa, with copper production capacity of approximately 600,000 tonnes per annum. The ramp-up of the new on-site direct-to-blister copper smelter is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2025.

This solar project is the first of its kind in Africa and will include a 222 MWp solar PV system and a 123 MVA/526 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). The plant will provide a 30MW dispatchable renewable baseload energy supply to the mine, offsetting fuel generators and reducing carbon emissions by around 78,750 tonnes per year. CrossBoundary Energy will own and operate the plant, and Kamoa Copper will pay for the energy it consumes. The plant is expected to produce ~300,000 MWh of clean energy per year.

Whilst many mines have incorporated solar PV and BESS systems into their operations, the supply of baseload energy—a guaranteed power output at all times—is rare for solar PV and BESS, as the sector has typically been cautious of intermittency. However, due to the increasing efficiency of solar PV and the declining cost of BESS components, a renewable baseload system is now viable and cheaper than the diesel generators currently providing power to the mine.

Annebel Oosthuizen, Managing Director of Kamoa Copper, said, “This is a pivotal moment for Kamoa Copper and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As a company, Kamoa Copper has been setting innovative benchmarks in various domains, and with this partnership on baseload renewable energy, we will continue to do so.

We are pleased to have CrossBoundary Energy as our first partner in this endeavor. Their commitment to honesty, integrity, and delivery is exemplary. We anticipate hard work and successful outcomes from this project. From Kamoa Copper’s side, we are committed to providing unwavering support to ensure our suppliers’ success, as we demand excellence in all our collaborations.”

Auguy Bakome, Project Manager at Kamoa Copper, said, “The solar project is a key milestone in delivering clean, reliable energy to Kamoa Copper. With advanced solar and battery systems, we’re boosting energy resilience, cutting emissions, and advancing sustainable mining. We commend CrossBoundary Energy for their professionalism and technical expertise.”

Matthew Tilleard, Managing Partner at CrossBoundary Energy, said, “Africa’s most significant hindrance to growth and investment is access to reliable and affordable power. Projects like these prove that distributed clean energy can now provide cheaper baseload power, even for heavy industry. We congratulate the Kamoa Copper S.A. team for this project, which will advance the whole sector.”

Franck Alloghe, Business Development Director for CrossBoundary Energy, said, “This agreement represents a change in energy supply for mining operations, indicating that diesel or HFO generators are no longer the only viable option for guaranteed baseload power generation. We look forward to executing this project with the Kamoa Copper team. Baseload from the sun is here.”

Construction of the renewable energy facility is due to start in August 2025.

The Kamoa Copper mining complex is one of the largest and fastest-growing copper complexes globally, with significant energy needs. The company’s commitment to incorporating renewable energy components underscores its ambition to lead the sustainable mining industry and energy transition.

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ACCRA, Ghana, April 4, 2025/APO Group/ –Striving to increase production and reverse natural declines in mature oilfields, Ghana is promoting new investment across its upstream oil and gas sector. The country – through national upstream regulator the Petroleum Commission of Ghana – is embarking on a series of industry reforms that aim to strengthen the operating environment for oil and gas companies. These efforts are expected to translate into heightened exploration, as companies pursue play-opening discoveries in Ghana’s on- and offshore market.

The Petroleum Commission of Ghana will outline the country’s exploration opportunities during the Invest in African Energies: Accra Investor Briefing – taking place April 14, 2025, at the Kempinsky Hotel. Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, CEO of the Petroleum Commission, is speaking at the event, sharing insight into regulatory reforms, untapped exploration prospects and strategies being implemented to bolster production. A prelude to the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies conference – scheduled for September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town – the event will lay the foundation for future deals, supporting Ghana’s broader industry objectives.

With 17 oil and gas projects scheduled for development by 2027, Ghana is making strides towards unlocking its 1.1 billion barrels of crude reserves and 2.1 trillion cubic feet of gas. The Petroleum Commission regulates and manages the utilization of petroleum resources in Ghana, coordinating policies across the country’s upstream sector. Both existing and new policies are expected to support industry growth, particularly in emerging sectors such as natural gas. Notable policies include the Gas Master Plan, a framework for investing in the country’s gas value chain. The plan outlines a development strategy through 2040, incentivizing capital and technology deployment by offering clear terms and objectives.

The plan has already incentivized major projects. The Tema FLNG project, for example, is under development in Accra. The facility comprises the requisite infrastructure to import, store, re-gasify and deliver LNG to off-takers in the Greater Accra Area. Operated by Helios Investment Partners, the $350 million plant has a capacity of 1.7 million tons of gas per year. Additionally, the Atuabo II Gas Processing plant – an expansion of the operating Atuabo facility – is on track for production in 2025. The second phase has a capacity of 150 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d), with opportunities to increase output two-fold, reaching 300 mmscf/d in future phases. The plant will be capable of producing propane, butane and pentane condensates and is being built at a cost of $700 million.

In the oil sector, the Petroleum Commission continues to attract investments in exploration, promoting undeveloped blocks in both on- and offshore basins. Following the success of the country’s biggest oilfields – Jubilee and TEN – the country is inviting partners to unlock the potential of adjacent blocks. Engagement with global partners and regional firms have already begun to yield positive results. Tullow Oil brought three new wells onstream at the Jubilee South East project in Q1, 2024, and will drill one producer and one injector well at the Jubilee field in 2025. The company is also advancing a 4D seismic survey at both Jubilee and TEN. Additionally, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation will drill an exploration well in the Voltaian Basin in 2025.

“Ghana’s approach to developing its oil and gas industry must be commended. The country is not only instituting reforms in tax and policy, but working closely with international operators to strengthen the attractiveness and competitiveness of their investments. Policies such as the Gas Master Plan stand to transform the country from an oil-reliant market into a diverse and integrated economy,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.