Bellevue Gold Limited has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Zenith Energy Operations Pty Ltd for the construction of a hybrid renewable power solution at the Bellevue Gold Project.
Zenith will fund, design, build, own, manage, and maintain the 88MW power station for a period of 15 years, beginning with the thermal station’s commercial operation.
Wind and solar generation, as well as thermal generation and battery energy storage, will be part of the hybrid power solution. The hybrid power station was meant to run ‘engine-off’ for extended periods of time.
According to Bellevue, Zenith is a leading provider of energy solutions, with contracts to operate 15 separate remote generation and micro-grid assets totalling more than 500MW across Western Australia and the Northern Territory, including the 95MW power station at Liontown Resources‘ Kathleen Valley lithium project, 15km north of the Bellevue Gold Project, and is at the forefront of the mining sector’s transition to renewable energy.
Bellevue has started work on the power station infrastructure, with earthworks and concrete foundations for the thermal plant now completed. Key electrical infrastructure, including essential long-lead items and the main switch room, has been acquired, and Zenith will purchase all long-lead items related to the PPA.
“This power purchase agreement is another key milestone on the path to the start of gold production later this year. The high utilisation of renewable energy in the power station and the flexibility to time-shifting activities with renewable energy availability is central to our goal to be Australia’s first net-zero gold producer. As well as being environmentally responsible, this approach could see Bellevue receive a premium price for its gold,” Bellevue Managing Director Darren Stralow said.
Meanwhile, Bellevue has also joined the Electric Mine Consortium, which is made up of 20 highly renowned and innovative ASX-listed and private mining and services companies with the goal of further decarbonising the industry.
Bellevue has also signed a refining agreement with ABC Refinery (Australia) Pty Ltd (ABC) to process its gold independently. This would allow Bellevue’s gold to be sold as a ‘green’ product, reflecting its net-zero status, which would allow Bellevue to receive a premium price for its gold.
