The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will fund $24.2 million of the cost of a Solar Gas Hybrid project to power two mines at Fortescue Metals Group’s Chichester mining hub in Pilbara, Western Australia.
The path-breaking project will be the first time a mining major will run its daytime operations entirely off renewable energy. Alinta Energy Pilbara Finance Pty Ltd (Alinta), the recipient of the ARENA funds, will build a 60 MW solar PV generation facility at the Chichester Hub. It will also construct a 60-kilometer transmission link from Chichester to it’s existing 145 MW Newman gas-fired power station and 35 MW Battery Storage System.
The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) will provide a loan of up to $90 million for the project.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said: “Through projects such as this, ARENA is helping industry to reduce emissions. The mining sector in Australia, which is vital to our economy accounts for approximately 10 percent of our energy use, so it is hoped these projects will encourage more mining operations to look to renewable energy and low emission solutions.”
The project will reduce the use of diesel at the mines by 100 million liters annually and their carbon emissions by 40 percent.
Read the Power Engineering International article HERE.
Image Source: Ore Processing Facility, Christmas Creek, Pilbara. Courtesy of Fortescue Mining Group Media Gallery