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Global mining house Gold Fields has completed construction of one of the world’s largest renewable energy microgrids to help power its Granny Smith gold mine in Australia. This is in stark contrast to South Africa, where the company is still waiting for the green light for a solar plant at its South Deep mine.
Gold Fields said in a statement on Wednesday October 7 that “the new hybrid power system, which has been integrated with an existing gas power plant, is powered by more than 20,000 solar panels and is backed by a 2MW / 1MWh “.
The company added that “it will reduce the mine’s fuel consumption by between 10% and 13%, the equivalent of taking 2,000 cars off the road. In total, the solar, thermal and battery storage assets will produce around 18GWh of energy each year, and carbon emissions at the mine are expected to be reduced by some 9,500 tCO2-e ”.
Mining companies have come under increasing pressure, especially from shareholders, to clean up their environmental act, including reducing their carbon footprint. In the case of Gold Fields’ Granny Smith mine, its location in sunny central Western Australia makes it an ideal candidate for solar power.
South Africa is also known for its sunshine, but Gold Fields has been waiting for three years for approval of a 40MW solar project at its South Deep mine to reduce its dependence on the unreliable Eskom.
It is one of countless examples of delays on this front in the face of the pressing energy crisis that many consider the greatest threat to South Africa’s economy. This hesitancy also unflatteringly highlights the divergent investment and policy environments between the two jurisdictions.
In August, Gold Fields CEO Nick Holland said the company expected to obtain regulatory approval for the project in a month or two.
On October 19, Gold Fields will host a webinar on ESG (environmental, social and governance concerns) developments at the company. Hopefully, you can announce by then that you have the go-ahead for the initiative.
That would be a ray of sunshine for South Africa’s own efforts to combat the climate crisis. DM / BM / OBP
