Pacific Energy has been granted the contract to integrate 62MW of clean energy into the Tropicana gold mine‘s existing 54MW gas-fired power station.
AngloGold Ashanti Australia Ltd and Regis Resources Ltd own the Tropicana gold mine.
A 10-year build-own-operate arrangement will be used to deliver the renewable expansion of the current power infrastructure. When finished, the 116MW power station will be the largest off-grid hybrid investment in the electricity provider’s portfolio and the largest off-grid gas-wind-solar-battery storage project in the Australian resources industry at the time of contract.
Four 6MW wind turbines, a 24MW solar farm, and a 14MW battery storage system (BESS) will be included in the extension. Pacific Energy’s in-house built intelligent control system for the integrated power station will maximise input from high penetration renewable energy and storage technologies, allowing the system to run hydrocarbons-free for extended periods of time.
According to Pacific Energy, it designed the new system to meet AngloGold Ashanti’s aim of reducing its global net carbon emissions from energy usage by 30% by 2030 as part of its pathway to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Overall, Tropicana gold mine’s diesel and gas usage for power generation is planned to be reduced by 96% and 50%, respectively, reducing carbon emissions by an average of 65,000 tonnes per year during the duration of the agreement.
“This is an excellent outcome for our long-time client, AngloGold Ashanti. We’ve been on the journey with them since 2012 and we are incredibly pleased to apply proven global technologies and our in-house expertise to help decarbonise their operations without losing power reliability or efficiency,” Pacific Energy Chief Executive Jamie Cullen said.
“We expect our new system to reduce the mine site’s overall power generation emissions by 50%. It’s a really exciting prospect for us and AngloGold Ashanti, and one we’ve worked hard to achieve on our client’s behalf,” Cullen stated.
Pacific Energy’s Energy and Integrated Renewables departments will supervise the project’s delivery, which is planned to be Australia’s most remote large-scale hybrid power system. The company’s fully integrated capabilities will be leveraged by producing the BESS, high-voltage switch room, and PV ring main components in-house at its WA-based facilities.
Pacific Energy plans to begin site construction in July 2023, with the project scheduled to be completed in early 2025.
