MINING ENERGY_proof 22/08/2016 19:42 Page 6
MINING ENERGY
DeGrussa’s solar project is the largest
integrated off-grid solar and battery storage
facility in Australia and reportedly, in the world.
The project comprises 34,080 solar PV panels
with a single-axis tracking system mounted on
4,700 steel posts. This enables the panels to
track the sun during the day, improving the
plant’s overall performance
battery storage facility in Australia and draws
together a number of technologies which are
widely expected to have a transformational
impact on the global economy over the next
decade. These include solar power combined
with a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery storage
facility, which has been used for the first time in a
remote location at the DeGrussa mine.
“This project has already attracted a
significant amount of interest from within the
mining industry in Australia with Sandfire
receiving inquiries from several of our peers
interested in adopting this technology at their
minesites. I would not be surprised to see more
facilities like this built over the next few years, as
the benefits and potential of solar power become
increasingly recognised across the resource sector.
“The DeGrussa Solar Project is expected to
reduce our annual diesel consumption and cut
our carbon emissions by more than 12,000 t of
CO2 annually – a reduction of more than 15%
based on our reported emissions for the 2016
financial year.”
The juwi Group is one of the world’s leading
renewable energy companies specialising in the
EPC of utility-scale projects. juwi has been
involved in the development, design,
construction and operation of more than 1,500
solar PV projects and the installation of more
than 700 wind turbines with a cumulated
capacity of over 3,300 MW.
Franck Woitiez, Managing Director of Neoen
Australia: “Neoen is thrilled with this major
success and recognises that Australia is a
tremendous place for the development of such
innovative projects.”
Neoen has a portfolio of more than 1,000 MW
of projects across Australia and aims at owning
and operating 600 MW by 2020 in the country. It
is an independent power producer, generating
electricity from renewable sources (solar, wind or
biomass). Neoen develops, finances, builds and
operates plants and is active in France, Portugal,
Three SolarMax 2000s were installed by IM2
Energía Solar at Chuquicamata mine in Chile in
June 2014 with a capacity of 6 kW
76 International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2016
Australia, Mexico, Egypt, Mozambique, Jamaica,
Zambia, Jordan and El Salvador.
Just over a year ago, Hanwha SolarOne, a
global photovoltaic manufacturer of high-quality,
cost-effective solar modules, completed its 2
MWp delivery to the Ozkoyuncu Solar Enerji
power plant in the Turkish province of Kayseri,
Cappadocia. Else Enerji, a leading Turkish EPC
contractor, was responsible for the turnkey
completion on behalf of Turkish mining company
Ozkoyuncu Mining Co. Based on the positive
outcome of quality assessments conducted by
the German testing institute, TÜV Rheinland,
Hanwha SolarOne qualified as the solar module
supplier for the project. The solar park was
connected to the grid in July.
As part of the quality audit, HSL solar module
samples were randomly selected by the project
owners and sent to TÜV Rheinland for third-party
testing.
“The PV modules from Hanwha Solar have
already demonstrated their high performance
and reliable output in existing solar parks
realised by Else Enerji in Turkey,” says Mustafa
Herdem, General Manager of Else Enerji. “As
expected, our positive experience in the field was
confirmed by the stringent third-party quality
assessment performed in Germany by TÜV
Rheinland. The combination of high-quality
products and a financially strong parent company
represent an attractive package.”
The positive outcome of the quality tests
meant that the delivery of the HSL modules was
able to commence. It is estimated that it will
generate around 3.4 million kWh/y of electricity.
“The approach taken by Else Enerji and
Ozkoyuncu Mining confirms a very positive
market trend – namely an increasing sensibility
regarding the quality of solar products,” says
Winfried Wahl, Senior Director Products and
Marketing at Hanwha SolarOne GmbH. “Our
company is continuously expanding its
cooperation with renowned testing institutes in
order to verify our processes and products to the
benefit of our customers.”
With approximately 2 Mt of annual production,
Özkoyuncu Mining is the largest iron ore
producer in Turkey.
MWH’s Furey notes that mine tailings facilities
can be good sites for solar power installations. At
Molycorp’s abandoned Questa, New Mexico,
mine, a 1 MW concentrated photovoltaic (CPV)
solar facility sits on 20 acres of mine tailings. It
has been operational since February 2011 and is
the largest of its kind in the US. A local energy
cooperative purchases the energy through a 20
year agreement.
She also points out the solar thermal plant at
Codelco’s Gaby mine in the Antofagasta region,
Chile. Opened in October 2013, this plant