Citic Pacific Mining (CPM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed Citic Limited, has energised a new solar and battery energy storage system in a bid to slash diesel use at its Sino Iron project in Western Australia’s Pilbara.
The system, featuring a 396 kWp ground-mounted PV array and a 320 kW / 750 kWh battery energy storage system will help power facilities at CPM’s Fortescue River accommodation village and roadhouse.
Designed, procured and commissioned by off-grid solar and battery technology developer GenOffGrid, the new microgrid is expected to satisfy the daytime energy needs of the precinct.
GenOffGrid Managing Director John Davidson said the renewables solution, that has been Integrated with the existing 1.5 MVA diesel generators, will deliver a reliable, resilient, and adaptable energy supply.
“The flexibility of the microgrid ensures it can adapt to future energy needs, providing a scalable system for expansion as requirements evolve,” he said, adding that “the microgrid system has been successfully integrated with the existing diesel generators to optimise performance and significantly reduce overall fuel consumption.”
Modelling shows the hybrid system will reduce carbon emissions for the precinct by more than 36% or 529 tonnes annually by displacing just under 200,000 litres of diesel per year.
CPM is just the latest in a line of mining firms that have turned to renewable energy to help meet their power needs, driven by decabonisation targets and economic benefits.
CPM Chairman Chen Sui said the Fortescue River Microgrid project is an important milestone in the miner’s decarbonisation strategy, and it is “actively exploring” opportunities to invest in other regional renewable solutions.
“This is a small but important step in our wider mission to make Sino Iron a green, intelligent mining operation,” he said. “We see a great opportunity to further reduce local emissions by developing more projects such as this one.”
Located on the Pilbara coast about 110 kilometres southeast of Karratha, the Sino Iron project is the largest magnetite mining and processing operation in Australia.
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