Another Miner Turns To Solar Power

Abra Mining Pty Limited has executed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Contract Power Group for a hybrid electricity generation system including solar panels and battery storage for a project in WA.

The Abra Base Metals Project, 77.28% owned by Galena Mining Ltd, is a lead-silver venture located in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia between the towns of Newman and Meekatharra – and is a long way from poles and wires.

Galena Mining said last week that under the terms of the PPA that runs for 16 years¹, Contract Power will build, own and operate a facility made up of a 10MW gas fired generator, a 6MW solar farm, 2MW of battery energy storage and an LNG storage and regasification facility.

“Integrating solar with relatively clean natural gas instead of diesel achieves a marked reduction in Abra’s carbon footprint compared to alternatives considered in the tender process,” said  Galena Managing Director, Alex Molyneux.

This solution was also found to be the most cost-effective.

The Abra Base Metals Project site is situated approximately 110 kilometres from Sandfire’s DeGrussa Project, which has been utilising renewables since 2016. DeGrussa’s system consists of a 10.6 MW (AC) solar power plant with storage offsetting up to 20% of total diesel consumption annually. As far as I’m aware, this is still Australia’s largest PV system operating at a mining site.

DeGrussa pretty much led the way and many other miners have followed – or are contemplating renewables.

Contract Power’s Renewables Street Cred

As for Contract Power Group, while many of its energy projects have been solely fossil-fuel focused, it has built up significant experience with integrating renewable energy systems out the back of beyond, particularly in Western Australia.

Completed renewables-related projects include a 1MW / 1MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and 1.25MVA Transformer at the Onslow Zone Substation, which was part of Stage 2 of the Onslow Microgrid Project. Prior to that, Contract Power Group partnered with its subsidiary, Hybrid Systems Australia, on the Meekatharra Solar Power Station, which was constructed in 2017 and has a total installed capacity 454.68 kW.

More recently, the company scored a contract for the Esperance Power Project. Under a 20 year PPA, which will supply electricity to Horizon Power customers from January next year, Contract Power is responsible for the design, procurement, construction and operation of:

• A gas-fired power station
• A 5.5MW Battery Energy Storage System
• Two 4.3MW wind turbines
• A 4MW solar energy facility, consisting of more than 10,000 solar panels.

The Esperance Power Project is expected to slash carbon emissions by 50% compared to current arrangements.

In November last year, Strandline Resources tapped Contract Power to be the preferred contractor to build, own and operate a 32MW hybrid gas and solar power station for Strandline’s Coburn mineral sands project in WA.