Tag Archives: Cambridge Energy Partners

CEP to scale up Nomad solar tracker production with Scatec Solar deal

Environmental, Mining equipment, Power supply for mines, , , , ,

Cambridge Energy Partners (CEP), the manufacturer of the Nomad redeployable solar generator, has signed a cooperation agreement with Scatec Solar, a large Norwegian independent power producer.

Under the agreement, Scatec Solar will use CEP’s movable solar tracker to offer short-term offtake agreements to commercial and industrial customers worldwide.

Tom Miller, CEP’s CEO, said: “The collaboration with Scatec Solar is an important step in CEP’s evolution, and puts us in position to become the leading manufacturer of movable solar solutions worldwide. We remain optimistic of the potential to deploy solar in remote locations, and feel our Nomad solar tracker is uniquely placed to service this market.”

Nomad is a prefabricated and movable solar generator that uses single-axis solar tracking to maximise solar yield. The prefabricated trackers can be installed in modular 15 kW units, reducing installation costs for large scale projects in challenging locations.

“With a market leading transport density of more than 150 kW per container, units can be packed-up and redeployed multiple times over their useful life,” the company said.

In mining, CEP’s Nomad solar trackers have already found its way into Newmont Goldcorp’s Akyem gold mine in Ghana, where four of them are helping power a 120 kW solar plant at the operation.

CEP said the collaboration with Scatec Solar allows it to “significantly increase” the future production volume of its Nomad solar tracker to hundreds of megawatts per year.

For Scatec Solar, the agreement will help launch a service that offers mining operations in emerging markets access to flexible, reliable and low-cost power through solar plant leasing.

The new service, called Release, offers miners flexible leasing agreements of pre-assembled solar and battery equipment, from 1 to 20 MW capacity.

Scatec said: “The solution is particularly attractive for mining companies in remote locations that rely on diesel driven power generators but would like access to cost efficient and clean energy. Today, approximately 600 GW of large-scale diesel is installed globally. This represents a significant market opportunity for small scale solar power.”

Initially, Release will target the African market with its new solar power plant solution. The company is currently also developing opportunities in Asia and Latin America.

Hans Olav Kvalvaag, responsible for Scatec Solar’s Release redeployable solar solution, said: “CEP’s modular and movable Nomad will help us rapidly deliver projects to the previously underserved commercial and industrial market.”

Sun shines on Newmont Goldcorp’s sustainability efforts

Environmental, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

Newmont Goldcorp has published its 2018 sustainability report, which has shown why the company continues to rank near the top of several indices measuring mining companies’ global footprint.

The company, which completed the acquisition of Goldcorp only last week, shared several insights into its sustainability goals and achievements in the report, with its solar energy success notable.

Last year, the company installed a new solar plant at its Akyem gold mine in Ghana. The 120 kW plant, which has four of Cambridge Energy Partners’ Nomad solar PV trackers included, will power the camp and mess hall during daylight hours, Newmont Goldcorp said.

“It has a 25-year asset life and is redeployable, so it can be disassembled and moved to another location at closure,” the company said.

Initial data has shown measurable cost, environmental and social benefits, according to the gold miner. Over five months, the plant produced more than 75,000 kWh of solar energy, resulting in a reduction of more than 32,000 kg of CO2, it said, adding that the plant is expected to produce energy at half the cost of grid power.

On top of this, the miner said it was negotiating with Ghana’s Volta River Authority on a purchase power agreement for 8 MW of solar power.

In Nevada, US, meanwhile, the company’s Phoenix mine installed solar arrays that will generate a total of 10 kW of power for two wireless communications sites.

Additional solar projects are under evaluation at Tanami (Australia), which completed the construction of a natural gas project recently, and the Merian mine in Suriname, the company said.

These current projects are just some of the initiatives the company has put in place at its operations.

As of the end of 2018, the company said it had reduced our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by 11.7% compared with its 2013 baseline. This is around 70% of its public target to reduce GHG emissions intensity by 16.5% (compared with 2013) by 2020. These numbers do not include any data from Goldcorp.

Completion of the Tanami power project in Australia is expected to reduce its GHG emissions intensity over the next two years, the company said. “We also continue to evaluate fuel switching (from coal to natural gas) at our TS Power Plant in Nevada.”

Newmont goes for CEP renewable solution at Akyem gold mine in Ghana

Environmental, Mine operation news, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, , ,

Cambridge Energy Partners (CEP) has announced that Newmont Mining will use its redeployable Nomad solar PV tracker at its Akyem gold mine in Ghana as the US-based company looks to reduce carbon emissions and its energy consumption and costs.

CEP’s Nomad is a prefabricated and redeployable solar generator with single-axis tracking technology. It can be used in a variety of applications and is designed for quick deployment in scalable 30 kW segments.

“Energy generated by CEP’s Nomad is fully integrated into existing electrical networks to create a reliable and sustainable hybrid power system,” CEP said.

Akyem is in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region of Ghana, some 178 km northwest of Accra. It produced 473,000 oz of gold in 2017.

In Newmont’s 2017 sustainability report, the company said it had advanced a 110 kW solar project at Akyem to the contracting phase. This plant would power the camp and mess hall during daylight hours.

CEP confirmed to IM that Newmont has increased this project to 120 kW and four Nomad units had since been installed and commissioned by local staff.

Power is currently supplied to the Akyem mine site by a 161 kV overhead line system that connects Nkawkaw and Kwae and passes through the area. According to CEP, up to 60% of this power is sourced from diesel and other fossil fuel generating plants.

CEP CEO Tom Miller said the company’s vision is to deliver lower-cost energy to all remote mining sites with its Nomad solar technology.

“In addition, the mobility of our solar technology significant mitigates the risks often associated with permanent solar installations,” he said.