EDL has switched on its 23 MW power station that integrates 4 MW solar photovoltaic with 19 MW gas and diesel generation to power Gold Fields’ Agnew Gold Mine, in Western Australia.
The project is worth up to AUD112 million (US$75.98 million).
The second stage of the project, which includes 18MW wind generation, a 13MW battery, and an advanced microgrid control system, is currently under construction and due to be completed in mid-2020. It has the backing of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) with a recoupable AUD13.5 million(US$76.65 million) contribution to the construction cost of the project.
Once completed, the Agnew Hybrid Renewable Project will be the first to utilize wind generation as part of a large hybrid microgrid in the Australian mining sector.
It will have a total installed generation capacity of 54 MW, with renewables providing over 50% of the Agnew gold mine’s power requirements, with the potential to increase this further by adopting innovative operational practices such as the dynamic load shedding, renewables forecasting, and load control management.
