New solar for gold digs
A WA gold mine has ordered a sizable solar farm to help it reduce its reliance on diesel generators.
Pacific Energy has announced a new contract with Gold Fields to construct a 35MW solar farm for the St Ives gold mine in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields region.
This initiative is part of Gold Fields’ $296 million St Ives Renewables Project, which will incorporate 42MW of wind power alongside the solar development.
The renewable energy system aims to supply over 70 per cent of the mine's power needs, helping reduce carbon emissions by approximately 50 per cent by 2030.
The solar system is reportedly designed with scalability, allowing for potential future expansion.
The St Ives solar farm is the largest project Pacific Energy has been commissioned to deliver.
Six out of Gold Fields’ ten mines and projects are powered in part by renewable electricity, including the Agnew gold mine in WA, where more than half its power comes from its wind, solar and battery.
Construction of the solar farm will begin in November, with full operation expected by 2026.