07:24 AM EDT, 03/19/2025 (MT Newswires) -- B2Gold ( BTG ) was at last look down 0.6% in U.S. pre-market trading after it overnight Tuesday said the Phase 2 expansion of the Fekola Solar Plant is complete and operational, two years after construction began.

The expansion of the Fekola Solar Plant became operational in January. It included the construction of an additional 46,200 solar panels, increasing the total panel count to 142,912, the company said.

The expanded plant is expected to cut annual emissions by 63,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) and reduce the annual consumption of heavy fuel oil (HFO) by 20 million liters. The expanded Fekola Solar Plant is expected to supply about one-third of the site's total electricity demand.

"The expansion of the Fekola Solar Plant is a significant initiative in support of B2Gold's ( BTG ) emission reduction target. The expanded facility will allow the Fekola site team to turn off the HFO plant for a portion of the day during times of sufficient solar radiation, a tremendous achievement for B2Gold ( BTG ) and a testament to our commitment to implementing renewable energy solutions," said Director of Sustainability Ken Jones.

The company's shares rose 1.5% in regular Canada and United States trade yesterday.