Australian Gold Mine Gets Solar Hybrid System Online

• Aggreko has commissioned a renewable energy microgrid solution for Gold Fields Granny Smith Gold Mine in Western Australia
• The project comprises more than 20,000 solar panels and a 2 MW/1 MWh battery energy storage system integrated with an existing 27.3 MW natural gas power station
• On assuming complete operations, the hybrid microgrid it will generate around 18 GWh of energy annually

The Granny Smith Gold Mine in Western Australia is currently receiving power from one of the world's largest renewable energy microgrids. UK based power generation equipment company Aggreko has installed the solar and storage system and integrated it with its existing 27.3 MW natural gas power station.

It is aimed to lower the gold mine's fuel consumption by 10% to 13% and cut down its carbon emissions once it is fully operational. The hybrid system comprises over 20,000 solar panels along with a 2 MW/1 MWh battery energy storage system. Altogether, the 3 energy assets—solar, gas, storage—will generate around 18 GWh of energy annually.

Owner of the Granny Smith Gold Mine, Gold Fields said the scale of the solar panels deployed here will lower its need to run thermal generators at the mine.

The management believes a microgrid is a far better solution for a remote location instead of laying power lines for several hundred kilometers.

"Demand for decentralised energy solutions has skyrocketed over the past few years as companies look past the grid for power solutions to help them meet their unique needs," said Aggreko's AusPac Managing Director George Whyte. "The hybrid assets we've delivered for the Granny Smith mine will help Gold Fields reduce operating costs and carbon emissions with the flexibility and capital expenditure savings that comes with rental solutions."

Last year in November 2019, Gold Fields got EDL energizing 23 MW as phase I of its hybrid renewable energy microgrid in Western Australia for its Agnew Gold Mine comprising 4 MW solar PV generation integrated with 19 MW gas and diesel capacity. Under phase II of the project, it will have 18 MW wind and 13 MW battery and micro-grid control system coming online (see Hybrid RE Project For Australia Off-Grid Mining).