Gold Fields says it has awarded a contract to Goldwind to design, manufacture and construct seven wind turbines for its St Ives gold mine, located 80 km south of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The turbines will form a 42 MW wind farm as part of Gold Fields’ landmark A$296 million St Ives Renewable Energy project, which will become Western Australia’s largest renewable energy initiative at an existing mine site.
The project also includes a 35 MW solar farm, which is currently in construction in partnership with Pacific Energy and should be completed in the first half of 2026. The entire renewable system is expected to power 73% of the St Ives site and will reduce the mine’s carbon emissions by about 50% by 2030. Gold Fields Principal Specialist and Project Director Simon Schmid said the St Ives project was part of Gold Fields’ expanding decarbonisation initiatives at its 10 sites and projects across Australia, South Africa, Ghana, Canada and South America.
“We’re already benefitting from significant renewable energy generation across our Australian operations including 18 MW at Gruyere, 10 MW at Granny Smith and 35 MW at Agnew. We are excited to see the project’s contribution to our broader global decarbonisation strategy, which contains a target of 30% net emission reduction by 2030, reinforcing our long-term and growing commitment to sustainability,” explained Schmid.
Turbine manufacture is already underway, with the assets expected to arrive in Western Australia in August 2025 before being transported to site and construction starting the following month.
As part of the St Ives renewables program, Gold Fields has partnered with leading creative consultancy, FORM Building a State of Creativity, to work with local school students and up-and-coming artists to create a series of artworks that will feature on the turbines.
“This program fosters collaboration, creativity and connection, and celebrates community by encouraging young artists to share their interpretations of wind as an energy source and what it means to their communities,” Schmid said. “Their artwork will be showcased across a lot of different applications including on the turbines themselves, 130 m high once constructed.”
Goldwind General Manager of Sales and Marketing William Ives said the company was building on its delivery of turbines to Gold Fields in WA. “Goldwind is pleased to deliver the wind farm component of the St Ives Mine project, the second renewable energy microgrid project in partnership with Gold Fields,” he said. “Building on our experience in delivering renewable energy solutions for mining operations in Western Australia, this project further demonstrates how sustainable energy can be integrated into industrial sites to reduce emissions and support a cleaner energy future.”