Timbadola Bioenergy Project

A modern biomass combined heat and power facility planned at SAFCOL’s Timbadola Sawmill in Makhado, Limpopo.

Project Overview

The Timbadola CHP project is being developed by New Africa Clean Energy in cooperation with the South African Forestry Company SOC Ltd (SAFCOL).

The proposed facility will generate up to 10 MW of electricity and approximately 20 MW of thermal energy using sustainably sourced forestry and sawmill residues.

Makhado Bioenergy (Pty) Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of NACE, is the project company established to own the facility and associated renewable energy assets.

How the Technology Works

Combined heat and power technology produces electricity and useful thermal energy from a single fuel source.

At Timbadola, biomass residues will be used to generate steam, which will drive a turbine to produce electricity. Thermal energy from the process will also be available for industrial applications, including timber drying at the adjacent sawmill.

Surplus sawmill residuals to be used in new bioenergy plant
Harvesting residuals to be used in the bioenergy plant
Excessive harvesting residuals for the bioenergy plant
Surplus mill residuals create health and safety hazards at most South African sawmills
Replacing very old steam boilers
Sawdust incinerated and heating the birds will be used in the new bioenergy plant
Providing heat to produce high quality kiln dried timber
The CHP will provide more efficient heat for dried timber production

Sustainable Biomass Supply

The facility is designed to utilize forestry harvesting residues and sawmill processing by-products, creating productive uses for biomass materials that might otherwise be underutilized or discarded.

SAFCOL is expected to be the principal biomass supplier, drawing on its forestry and sawmill operations in the region.

Local Economic and Environmental Benefits

The Timbadola project aims to support the local economy through renewable energy production, biomass supply-chain activities, employment and technical training.

By providing reliable electricity and industrial heat, the project is also intended to support the development of local forestry and wood-processing operations.