Western Australian gold miners, Wiluna Mining Corp, has announced it will work towards decarbonising its mining operations with its provider, Contract Power Group – a subsidiary of Pacific Energy.
The effort will be staged in two parts, with Stage 1 including the re-configuration of its power station to add a 2 MW battery energy storage unit and increase gas generation. The company says the move will significantly reduce the need for back-up diesel generation, with four diesel generators being removed.
Stage 2 will include will include what the company is calling a “future mixed renewables power station,” and is expected to come to fruition in 2023.
To implement the strategy, Wiluna Mining Corp has signed a 10-year contract extension with Contract Power Group, with the provider to power the mines until 2031.
“Contract Power Group are experts in efficient generation of electrical power and in decarbonisation by harnessing off-grid wind or solar power,” Wiluna Mining Corp said in a statement. “Wiluna are refining its plans with Contract Power Group to include decarbonisation within our methods of power generation at site. This may also moderate our exposure to future volatility in the cost of hydrocarbon fuels.”
The company said it will focus on renewable power studies and options during 2021 and 2022 to:
- Assess the right mix of renewables including solar, wind or pumped storage options;
- Determine how best to integrate renewables into the total power delivery for an expanded operation; and
- Optimise the decarbonisation of power generation with reliability and cost effectiveness.
“We look forward to working with Contract Power to not only transitioning the Wiluna Mine once again into one of Australia’s biggest and most profitable gold mines, but to helping it become one of Australia’s cleanest mines,” Wiluna Mining’s Executive Chair, Milan Jerkovic, said.
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