Mining with principles at Gold Fields' Granny Smith mine
Mining and metals activities are energy-intensive, compelling companies to secure ever more reliable and cost-competitive sources of energy. But as societal expectations evolve, how this energy is produced and how it is consumed is of increasing concern to companies.
Gold Fields has reinforced its commitment to lowering its carbon footprint with the completion of one of the world’s largest renewable energy microgrids at its Granny Smith gold mine in Western Australia.
The new hybrid power system installed by energy services provider Aggreko brings a self-contained solution to a remote location that integrates with the existing gas fired power station to reduce the mine’s fuel consumption by 10–13 per cent. The microgrid is powered by more than 20,000 solar panels and supported by a 2 MW/1 MWh battery system. When fully operational, it will produce around 18 GWh of energy every year, which will result in a reduction of carbon emissions by approximately 9,500 tCO2-e.