Concrete Foundations Completed for Wind Turbines in Australia’s Largest Off-Grid Renewable Hub
Australia’s largest off-grid renewable energy initiative, designed to supply power to a gold mine in a remote area of Western Australia, has reached a significant milestone with the completion of concrete foundations for its seven wind turbines.
On Thursday, global mining leader Gold Fields announced that the foundations for the turbines have been successfully poured at the project site, situated 80 kilometres south of Kalgoorlie. The components for the wind turbines are expected to arrive by September.
Details of the St Ives Renewables Project
The seven wind turbines will collectively generate 42 megawatts (MW) of power and are part of Gold Fields’ ambitious $A296 million St Ives Renewables Project, which also features a 35 MW solar farm. Construction of the solar farm, managed by Pacific Energy, is advancing well, with over half of the solar panel frames already constructed and the first batch of 66,000 panels arriving on site for installation later this month.
Impact on Gold Fields’ Operations
Once operational, this hybrid renewable energy system is projected to supply over 70% of the energy needs for Gold Fields’ St Ives gold mine, establishing it as Western Australia’s largest renewable energy project at an existing mining site. The construction is anticipated to be completed next year.
Gold Fields operates nine mines and projects across various countries, including Australia, Canada, Chile, Ghana, South Africa, and Peru. The company has committed to reducing its Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 30% by 2030, using 2016 as a baseline.
By 2030, Gold Fields aims to source approximately 70% of its electricity from renewable energy, with a goal of achieving 100% by 2050.
Simon Schmid, the principal specialist and project director at Gold Fields, expressed enthusiasm about the recent achievements at the St Ives Renewable Energy project, stating that it reinforces the company’s commitment to sustainability in collaboration with industry partners.
“Once operational, the St Ives Renewable Energy project will serve as a tangible symbol of our dedication to enhancing the sustainability of Gold Fields’ operations,” Schmid remarked. “We believe this project sets a benchmark for renewable energy utilisation within the mining sector, and we are excited to witness the progress as we move towards our objectives.”
