Bhunya, Kingdom of Eswatini

Sustainable energy
from Africa's
forests

Emerald Renewables is developing Eswatini's first large-scale wood pellet manufacturing plant — converting sustainable plantation forestry residues into certified renewable biomass energy for international power generation.

Discover the Project → Investor Enquiries
Supported by 🌳 FSC Certified 💼 Pembani Remgro ⚡ offtake
Project at a Glance
Annual Nameplate Capacity180,000 MT
Industrial Pellet PressesMultiple industrial
Offtake AgreementContracted
Direct Employment CreatedLocal jobs
CO₂ Avoided per Year~555,000 t
Funded by Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund · EPC: Lesedi Nuclear Services · Feedstock: Usutu Forest Products
🌳FSC certified sustainable supply chain
♻️Converting wood residues into clean energy
🇸🇿Creating skilled jobs for Swati communities
🌍Backed by Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund
About the Project

Eswatini's first industrial
biomass pellet plant

Emerald Renewables (Pty) Ltd is developing a 180,000 MT/year wood pellet manufacturing plant at Bhunya, in the Manzini Region of the Kingdom of Eswatini, adjacent to the Usutu Forest Products mill site — one of the largest integrated forestry operations in southern Africa.

The plant converts pine and eucalyptus sawmill residues — material that would otherwise go to waste — into certified industrial-grade biomass pellets meeting the most demanding international quality standards. These pellets replace coal at utility-scale power stations around the world, directly avoiding significant carbon emissions at scale.

The project is supported by an offtake agreement with an established European biomass energy operator, securing the plant's full production under a structured, bankable revenue framework from the first day of commercial operation.

Construction is underway under a EPC contract with Lesedi Nuclear Services, with industrial pellet presses as the core process equipment. The project is funded by Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund, a leading African infrastructure investor.

Through a strategic partnership between Emerald, Lesedi Nuclear Services and Usutu Forest Products, the project is built on a foundation of aligned, experienced partners committed to producing world-class pellets for the European energy market.

180k
MT / year capacity
Contracted
Offtake
Industrial
Pellet press lines
Eswatini
Home of the plant
Key Project Partners
EPC ContractorLesedi Nuclear Services
Funding PartnerPembani Remgro Infra. Fund
Feedstock SupplierUsutu Forest Products
Feedstock PartnerUsutu Forest Products
Offtake PartnerEuropean biomass operator
Pine forest plantation
Feedstock Origin · Bhunya, Eswatini
Sustainable plantation forestry — the source of every pellet we produce
How It Works

From forest residue
to renewable energy

Emerald's plant sits at the heart of a fully integrated, contracted biomass value chain — from adjacent forest residues through to renewable electricity generation at overseas power stations.

01
🌲
Feedstock Supply
Usutu Forest Products · Adjacent Mill
Pine and eucalyptus sawmill residues are delivered continuously via a dedicated conveyor and truck fleet from the adjacent Usutu Forest Products mill — material that would otherwise go to waste. The adjacent location provides a reliable, continuous supply of wood residues.
02
🔥
Drying
Industrial biomass dryers
Wood residues arrive at high moisture content and pass through purpose-built industrial dryers, reducing moisture to the level required for efficient, consistent pellet production. The drying process is powered by self-generated boiler fuel from residues, minimising the plant's energy footprint.
03
⚙️
Pelletising
Industrial press lines · 180,000 MT/year
Dried wood fibre is compressed under high pressure into dense 6mm cylindrical pellets. Emerald's plant operates multiple independent press lines with a dedicated spare press ensuring maximum uptime and reliability — delivering consistent, high-quality pellets to international specifications.
04
🚢
Export & Generation
International shipping · offtake
Pellets are transported to a major South African export port and shipped under the offtake agreement to a utility-scale biomass power station, where they combust to generate renewable electricity — displacing coal and avoiding hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO₂ each year.
Wood pellets biomass
Wood Pellets · 6mm Industrial Grade
Timber trucks
Feedstock Delivery · Usutu Forest Products
Our Impact

Built to make
a difference

Emerald's impact spans climate, community and economy — from the forests of Eswatini to power grids around the world.

🌡️
~555k
tCO₂e avoided per year
Estimated annual greenhouse gas avoidance versus coal at full production rate — equivalent to removing approximately 120,000 cars from the road annually. Every tonne of Emerald's pellets that burns at a power station displaces coal.
🇸🇿
Local
Community focused operations
Emerald is committed to sustainable, community-focused operations in Eswatini — supporting local economic development, skills building and long-term investment in the communities surrounding the plant.
♻️
100%
Waste wood utilised
Every tonne of feedstock processed by Emerald is sawmill residue or wood waste that would otherwise go unused. The plant adds economic value to Eswatini's forestry sector while reducing waste across the supply chain.
"Africa's plantation forestry sector holds an enormous, underutilised potential to contribute to the global clean energy transition — Emerald is building the infrastructure to realise it."
180k
MT pellets / year
Port industrial terminal
Export · International Shipping
Delivering clean energy to power stations across the world
Sustainability & ESG

Designed for a
sustainable future

100% Plantation Feedstock — No Primary Forest
All biomass is sourced exclusively from managed pine and eucalyptus plantations. No primary forest is used or impacted. The supply chain is contractually warranted to maintain this standard throughout the project's life, with independent verification built into the certification framework.
FSC Chain-of-Custody Certified
The supply chain operates under Forest Stewardship Council certification, providing internationally recognised, independent verification of responsible forest management and sustainable sourcing from forest floor to ship's hold.
Certified Sustainable Biomass
Emerald's pellets are produced to meet the sustainability criteria required by international biomass energy markets, with full traceability and third-party verification embedded throughout the supply chain. The certification framework supports our offtake partners' renewable energy commitments.
Eswatini Community Investment
A dedicated community investment programme is embedded in Emerald's operating model, complementing operational activities with skills development, vocational training and tangible investment in the communities surrounding the plant in Bhunya.
Responsible Governance
Emerald operates under a full anti-bribery and ethics compliance framework aligned with internationally recognised standards. All operations comply with the laws of the Kingdom of Eswatini, and the project maintains transparent reporting to investors and stakeholders.
Our commitment
"Converting Eswatini's forest resources into clean energy — responsibly, verifiably, and for the long term."
✓FSC — Forest Stewardship Council
✓Zero Primary Forest Feedstock
✓Certified Sustainable Biomass
✓Eswatini Law Compliance
✓Anti-Bribery Ethics Framework
🌍
Environmental
~555,000 tCO₂e avoided annually. Zero primary forest. Waste-to-energy model throughout.
🤝
Social
Community-focused operations. Skills development. Sustainable local impact.
📋
Governance
Full ethics compliance. Transparent investor reporting. Eswatini law compliant.
🌱
Certification
FSC chain-of-custody. Certified sustainable biomass. Independent third-party verified.
The Team

Experienced people,
delivering results

Emerald is led by a team with deep experience in renewable energy project development, EPC contract management, African infrastructure and international biomass markets.

FL
Chairman
Frederick E. LaCroix
Emerald Renewables
Chairman of Emerald Renewables and principal architect of the project's commercial strategy. Frederick brings extensive experience in renewable energy development and international biomass markets, providing strategic leadership and board oversight across the full project lifecycle.
CS
Chief Executive Officer
Christo Snyman
Emerald Renewables · Eswatini
CEO of Emerald Renewables, based in the Kingdom of Eswatini. Christo leads all aspects of project execution and day-to-day operations, managing the full spectrum of relationships across government, contractors, funding partners and community stakeholders.
EF
Head Engineer
Errol Fransman
Emerald Renewables
Errol is the Head Engineer on the project, responsible for the technical oversight of the entire plant. He manages the day-to-day engineering interface with the construction contractor, ensuring the plant is built to exacting specifications and that every system performs as designed.
PR
Principal Funding Partner
Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund
Investor
Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund is a leading African infrastructure investor providing the principal equity financing for Emerald Renewables. The fund brings deep expertise in African energy and infrastructure investments to the project's board and governance structures.
Our Vision

Africa's renewable energy
opportunity

🌍
Africa's Forest Advantage
Eswatini's plantation forestry sector produces vast quantities of wood residues that currently go underutilised. Emerald turns this natural advantage into a globally traded, high-value clean energy commodity — creating value where none previously existed while improving the efficiency of the entire forestry supply chain.
⚡
Displacing Coal at Scale
Every tonne of Emerald's pellets that combusts at a power station replaces an equivalent amount of coal. At full production, the project avoids an estimated 555,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year — a material and measurable contribution to global decarbonisation, fully verified through certified sustainability frameworks.
🏗️
Built for the Long Term
A EPC contract, a offtake agreement and a feedstock supply contracted through 2039 give Emerald a uniquely stable commercial foundation. This fully contracted structure is designed to deliver consistent, long-duration returns across a complete investment cycle — from construction through the full operational life of the asset.
"Converting Eswatini's forest resources into clean energy for the world — creating lasting value for investors, communities and the climate."
Emerald Renewables — Mission Statement
180k
MT pellets / year
555k
tCO₂e avoided
Get in Touch

We'd love to
hear from you

Whether you're an investor, sustainability partner, government body, potential customer or community stakeholder — we welcome your enquiry and will respond within two business days.

📍
Project Office
Office 1.2, Mhlambanyatsi Office Building
Mhlambanyatsi, Kingdom of Eswatini
✉️
Chief Executive Officer
Christo Snyman
christosnyman@lantic.net
💼
Investment Enquiries
Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund
Principal Funding Partner
🌲
Construction & EPC
Lesedi Nuclear Services (Pty) Ltd
EPC Contractor
🌳
Feedstock & Forestry
Usutu Forest Products Company Limited
Bhunya, Kingdom of Eswatini
Send a Message
All enquiries are treated in strict confidence.