BHP, the world’s largest mining company, has awarded Southern Cross Energy, a TransAlta Renewables subsidiary, the contract to build, own, and operate the Northern Goldfields Solar Project (“Project”) for the supply of renewable solar electricity to BHP’s Goldfields-based Nickel West operations in Western Australia.
The Project, to cost A$73 million (US$54 million), comprises the 27.4MW Mount Keith Solar Farm, 10.7MW Leinster Solar Farm, 10.1MW / 5.4MWh Leinster battery energy storage system, and interconnecting transmission infrastructure. Southern Cross Energy has appointed juwi Renewable Energy Pty Ltd as the EPC contractor for the Project.
The solar hybrid facility will cut BHP’s Scope 2 electricity greenhouse gas emissions from its Leinster and Mt Keith operations by 540,000 tonnes of CO2e over the first 10 years of operation. In addition, it will reduce fuel costs and improve the reliability of electricity supply to the mine.
“This is the first large-scale onsite solar farm and battery that BHP has commissioned at any of its global operations,” said Eddy Haegel, BHP Nickel West, Asset President. “The Project will further improve our position as one of the lowest carbon nickel miners in the world.”
BHP signed a nickel supply agreement with Tesla last week. “Sustainable low carbon nickel is essential for our battery and electric vehicle customers,” Haegel added.
Construction of the Project will commence in Q2 FY2022 and is expected to take 12-14 months.
Source: News releases by TransAlta / BHP
Image of Nickel West: BHP
