An evolving power solution

We delivered our first build-own-operate power station for the Tropicana gold mine in 2012. Located 330km east of Kalgoorlie, this original solution consisted of a 44MW diesel-powered station to enable mine production while a dedicated gas pipeline was constructed. In 2014, when natural gas became available, we upgraded the station to a 44MW gas-fired system, beginning the mine’s journey towards a lower carbon intensive future. The gas system was again upgraded to 54MW in 2019.

In 2023, our client AngloGold Ashanti Australia contracted us to integrate 61MW of clean energy into our existing system as a part of its strategy to cut its global net carbon emissions from energy use by 30% by 2030.

The expansion, which we’re delivering under a 10-year build-own-operate agreement, incorporates four 6MW wind turbines, a 24MW solar farm and a 13MW battery storage system (BESS). The integrated power facility’s intelligent control system, which we have developed in-house, will optimise input from the high penetration renewable energy and storage technologies and allow the system to run hydrocarbons-free for extended periods of time.

Overall, the renewables integration is expected to reduce Tropicana’s diesel and gas consumption for power generation by 96% and 50% respectively, slashing carbon emissions by an average of 65,000 tonnes per year over the life of the agreement.

When completed, the 115MW power station will be the largest off-grid hybrid investment in our portfolio, and the largest off-grid hybrid power system in the Australian resources sector.

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