BHP inks long-term renewable PPA with WA’s largest solar farm

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BHP has inked a ten-year agreement with Risen Energy to source up to 50% of its electricity needs at the Kwinana nickel refinery from Merredin Solar Farm – the largest in Western Australia.

The renewable power purchasing agreement (PPA) is the first of its kind signed by BHP in WA and follows renewable agreements covering the company’s operations in Queensland in 2020 and in Chile in 2019.

BHP Nickel West, Asset President, Eddy Haegel said the agreement will help BHP reduce emissions from electricity use at the refinery by up to 50% by 2024.  Over the life of the contract, he continued, BHP will effectively displace an estimated 364,000 tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent of removing 11,200 combustion engine cars from WA’s roads every year.

“This contract will further increase the sustainability of the nickel produced by Nickel West,” Mr Haegel said.

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“It will reduce the refinery’s electricity emissions by 50%, diversify our energy supply, and reduce the refinery’s electricity bill.

“This contract, combined with our high quality nickel deposits, and our integrated value chain further improves our position as one of the lowest carbon nickel miners in the world.”

The 132 MW Merredin Solar Farm consists of 354,452 solar panels and is WA’s largest completed solar farm. It has an output of 274GWh of electricity annually, which is enough to power about 42,000 Western Australian homes.

Risen Energy Australia, Vice General Manager, John Zhong welcomed the agreement with BHP Nickel West.

“This agreement will bolster current and future Western Australian renewable projects,” he stated.

“We look forward to welcoming many more clean energy partnerships to power manufacturing, minerals processing and other Western Australian industries.”

Image credit: https://www.bhp.com/