Bushveld Energy signs Cooperation Agreement

RNS Number : 9092A

Bushveld Minerals Limited

13 June 2016

 

13 June 2016

Bushveld Minerals Limited

("Bushveld" or the "Company")

Bushveld Energy signs Cooperation Agreement with South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation

Bushveld Minerals Limited (AIM: BMN), a diversified mineral development company with a portfolio of vanadium, titanium, iron ore, tin and coal assets in Africa is pleased to announce the signing of a Cooperation Agreement (the "Agreement") between its energy subsidiary, Bushveld Energy Company ("Bushveld Energy"), and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa ("IDC").

The IDC is South Africa's national development finance institution, wholly-owned by the South African government. It aims to be the primary source of commercially sustainable industrial development and innovation to benefit both South Africa and the rest of Africa by promoting entrepreneurship through the building of competitive industries and enterprises based on sound business principles. In 2015, the IDC approved R 11.5 billion (approximately USD 1 billion) in funding to companies across various sectors.

Under the terms of the Agreement, Bushveld Energy will partner with the IDC to determine the economic viability of vanadium redox flow batteries ("VRFB") for use and manufacture in South Africa. Accordingly, Bushveld Energy and the IDC will commission a Feasibility Study to determine the following:

1.     Assess VRFB viability and costs in the South African market, including studies of the market potential for VRFB Systems in South Africa and Africa, and techno-economic studies for the local manufacturing of vanadium electrolyte and VRFB system manufacturing in South Africa;

2.     Identify potential local and foreign partnerships in support of the roll-out and local manufacturing of VRFBs; and

3.     Establish two VRFB verification sites of up to 1.0 MW each in size in South Africa to demonstrate performance of the technology and its use in commercial and utility applications.

While the development of global energy storage to date has largely focused on North America, Europe and Asia, Bushveld Energy believes Africa offers a unique and significant opportunity. Grid penetration is below 50% in the majority of countries, leading to significant opportunities for power application in use cases such as off-grid, voltage support, transmission and distribution deferral. In addition, opportunities exist for VFRBs where diesel is currently the primary source of energy.

South Africa is rapidly adding renewable energy to its grid, with over 6,376MW already procured by the Department of Energy, mostly consisting of wind and solar photovoltaic generation. Although renewables provide some direct opportunities for the implementation of VRFB energy storage systems, the use cases for VFRBs as a longer term energy source extend beyond them. In addition, as a leading primary vanadium producer and exporter, South Africa serves as the logical base for VRFB manufacturing; furthermore, VRFB energy storage offers significant opportunity for mineral beneficiation.

Pursuant to the signing of the Agreement, Bushveld Energy and IDC have started preparing the scopes for the market and techno-economic studies. In addition, the two parties are assessing potential South African sites and further cooperation models for the two VRFB installations envisaged under the Agreement.

Commenting on the executed Agreement, Fortune Mojapelo, CEO of Bushveld Minerals, said:

"Africa's insufficient power infrastructure and rapidly growing electricity demand create a unique environment for immediate, mass-scale adoption of energy storage across a variety of use cases. The Agreement with IDC is an important step for Bushveld Energy, and we are very pleased to add a major local partner with significant resources and expertise in building successful, long term businesses in South Africa. It also demonstrates support for our vision of the potential for VRFB technology and underscores the opportunity for South Africa to beneficiate its mineral resources further through the development of new industrial opportunities.

"This is another example of Bushveld Energy's efforts to promote the role of vanadium in the growing energy storage market through smart partnerships and innovative business models. As we have maintained in the past, partnerships are key to our business model. We look forward to working with the IDC."

Commenting on the Agreement, Christo Fourie, Head of the New Industries Strategic Business Unit, said:

"The signing of the Agreement with Bushveld Energy marks an important milestone for the IDC's initiative towards the development of a sustainable Energy Storage Industry for South Africa. The IDC and Bushveld Energy share a common vision for the development of a new industry that will ultimately benefit all South Africans through increased local minerals beneficiation, the creation of jobs across the value chain, the increased availability of power and the overall stimulation of growth in the economy. We are excited about our partnership with Bushveld Energy and the contribution that this project will make towards the achievement of our industry development goals for the local Energy Storage industry."  

Enquiries: [e-mail]

Bushveld Minerals Fortune Mojapelo	[phone]
Bushveld Energy Mikhail Nikomarov	[phone]
Strand Hanson Limited Andrew Emmott	[phone]
Mirabaud Securities LLP Rory Scott	[phone]
Tavistock Jos Simson/ Nuala Gallagher	[phone]

- ENDS -

Notes to editors

About Bushveld Energy Limited

Bushveld Energy Limited is an energy storage solutions provider focusing on the African market, with registered offices in Mauritius and a wholly owned subsidiary in South Africa. Bushveld Energy recognises that electricity in Africa intersects paramount potential for social transformation with an immense commercial opportunity.

Launched in January 2016, Bushveld Energy is focused on developing and promoting the role of vanadium in the growing global energy storage market through application in vanadium redox flow batteries. Its near term strategy is to install several VRFB systems as part of its longer term vision to become a significant electricity storage provider in Africa by 2020, meeting the demand for utility scale energy storage in Africa by leveraging South Africa-mined and beneficiated vanadium.

About Industrial Development Corporation

The IDC provides finance for industrial development projects, playing a catalytic role in promoting partnerships across industries within South Africa and the rest of the African continent to promote regional economic growth. The IDC achieves this by:

·      Proactively identifying and funding high-impact and labour-intensive projects;

·      Leading the creation of viable new industries;

·      Using our diverse industry expertise to drive growth in priority sectors; and

·      Taking up higher-risk funding projects.

About Bushveld Minerals Limited

Bushveld Minerals Limited is a mineral development company with a portfolio of vanadium-and titanium bearing iron ore, tin and coal assets in Southern Africa and Madagascar.

The Group owns the Bushveld Vanadium Project, Mokopane Vanadium Project, Bushveld Iron Ore Project and Mokopane Tin Project, located on the northern limb of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Bushveld also owns the Imaloto coal project in Madagascar, acquired in September, 2015, through its takeover of Lemur Resources.

Bushveld was admitted to the AIM of the London Stock Exchange in March 2012.

 

END

 

 

AGRSFIFDSFMSEIM