NRW Holdings will build a 34 MW solar farm with a 12 MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system at mining conglomerate Rio Tinto’s 43 Mt Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in Western Australia.
Announcing the win of the US$44 million EPC contract from Rio Tinto, NRW chief executive and managing director Jules Pemberton said renewable energy represented an increasing opportunity for the group, particularly projects where the energy output is integrated into the client’s network.
The project will comprise 100,000 solar panels and supply the Gudai-Darri mine’s entire electricity demand during peak solar generation times, and approximately 65% of its average electricity demand. Also included is a 33kW substation that can be remotely controlled and monitored from Perth.
The solar project will eventually connect to Rio Tinto’s grid at the Gudai-Darri central substation via a 6km-long overhead powerline and fiber-optic link.
“We continue to look for ways to reduce the carbon impact of our operations,” Rio Tinto said. “Choosing renewable energy over traditional power generation, like we are doing at Gudai-Darri, is one of them.” The solar facility will cut the mine’s annual carbon dioxide emissions by about 90,000 tonnes compared to conventional gas-powered generation.
The project forms part of Rio Tinto’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint, targeting net zero emissions by 2050.
NRW will commence construction next month and complete the project by 2022.
Source: pv magazine
Image of Koodaideri Iron Ore Project, Pilbara, Australia: Rio Tinto Image Gallery