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JUWI’s renewable rollout in South Africa continues with Sibanye-Stillwater deployment

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JUWI Renewable Energies, a leading global solar, wind and hybrid project developer, EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) and operations and maintenance company, has announced that it has 400 MW of EPC projects in advanced stages of development for mines in South Africa.

The news follows the financial close of the 89 MW Castle Wind project by the African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) Consortium for Sibanye-Stillwater’s mining operations, a project initially developed by JUWI for the South African government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers’ Programme (REI4P). The AIIM Consortium included African Clean Energy Developments as developer and Reatile as investment partner.

“We’re seeing a wave of formal requests for renewable energy projects from South African mines, largely driven by the energy crisis, commercial considerations and decarbonisation targets,” Richard Doyle, Managing Director, JUWI SA, said.

“The right regulation has been needed to translate this demand into actual projects for mines. The amendments to the licence-exemption threshold and ability to wheel electricity are now allowing us to pivot projects initially developed for REI4P, such as the Castle Wind project, into the private sector, making them a reality. This is a significant milestone for our team of experts who work tirelessly to advance the renewable energy transition in Africa.”

Wheeling is the act of transporting electricity from a generator to a remotely located end-user through the grid. With most large mines and energy users in South Africa lacking land for large-scale wind and solar projects, the ability to wheel electricity is essential for self generation, according to JUWI.

Chris Bellingham, Head of Project Development, JUWI, explained: “The ability to wheel power through the network combined with the far lower electricity tariffs of solar and wind projects, incentivises mines to either remotely generate their own electricity or purchase it from remote independent power producers, thereby sourcing generation from sites where the resource is stronger. This is a real win for mines, allowing them to save costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and when used in combination with backup technologies, avoid load shedding.”

Sumeet Ramandh, the project’s Development Manager, said  JUWI initiated the Castle Wind project in 2011 and, although there were extensive delays with the government’s procurement process, it remained dedicated to transforming the site into a notable renewable energy asset for South Africa.

“With the recent regulatory improvements, JUWI took the decision to sell the project to the AIIM Consortium, which secured an Eskom agreement to wheel energy from the wind farm to power Sibanye-Stillwater’s mining operations,” he said.

At the start of the year, JUWI reported that it had 4 GW of renewable energy projects in various stages of development across Africa, with another 1 GW to be initiated in 2023. The company also recently signed an EPC agreement with Pan African Resources to construct a 8.75 MW solar plant for the its Fairview mine.

JUWI and Pan African’s Elikhulu solar plant receives grid compliance from Eskom

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JUWI Renewable Energies and South Africa-based mid-tier gold producer, Pan African Resources, have announced that the 10 MW Elikhulu solar renewable energy plant at the Evander gold operations has become the first embedded project over 1 MW to receive full grid code compliance from utility Eskom.

This follows the South African government’s decision in 2021 to raise the licensing threshold for embedded generation projects from 1-100 MW, aimed at alleviating the energy crisis by unlocking private generation capacity. In order to attain grid compliance, projects need to demonstrate full compliance with the Renewable Power Plants Grid Connection Code, the companies explained.

Richard Doyle, Managing Director, JUWI, said: “We’re delighted that Elikhulu is the first behind-the-client metre large-scale project to get the stamp of approval from Eskom, which confirms that the project adhered to very rigorous grid connection standards. As the trailblazer leading the rollout of private generation by major energy users, Elikhulu will unlock significant new generation capacity and reduce pressure on the national grid, which contributes to fewer instances of loadshedding.”

Barry Naicker, Head of ESG at Pan African, said: “For Pan African Resources, mining is also about sustainability and going ‘beyond compliance’, which means that we are committed to rolling out renewable energy solutions at all our operations in South Africa. We’re grateful that the Elikhulu photovoltaic plant is online and operating efficiently, and pleased that it is the first project of its kind to be connected to the South African grid. This represents a major turning point in the country’s transition to clean energy.”

When the Elikhulu plant was initiated by Pan African, the licensing threshold was 10 MW. With the further increase of the licensing threshold to 100 MW, the mining company plans to expand the plant’s output to 22 MW in 2023 to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve efficiencies, which will reduce the cost of gold production, it says.

When the plant build was annoucned in 2020, Pan African said it would use bi-facial module technology to maximise its yield and be constructed on previously disturbed land owned by Evander Mines. It was to provide an estimated 30% of Elikhulu’s power requirement during daylight hours and was expected to materially reduce electricity costs at this operation.

JUWI commissions ‘world’s largest’ solar hybrid project at Egyptian mine site

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JUWI says it has commissioned the world’s largest solar hybrid project at Centamin’s Sukari mine in Egypt, helping the gold miner save more than 20 million litres of diesel a year.

The system consists of a 36 MW solar farm and a 7.5 MW battery-energy storage system, which have been integrated into the existing diesel power station at the operation. This will provide savings of up to 70,000 liters of diesel per day, according to JUWI, resulting in an average reduction in diesel consumption of 22 million liters per year.

The system demonstrates the key role of renewable energies in decarbonising the resource sector and already delivers savings ahead of expectations, according to JUWI.

Centamin noted in October that it was in the final stages of commissioning the solar plant at the operation.

The solar system designed by JUWI has maximised the generation with bifacial solar photovoltaic modules and a single axis tracking system, taking advantage of the high irradiance on site. JUWI Hybrid IQ micro-grid technology enables the integration of the solar and battery system into the existing off-grid network and supports the operation of the existing power station, it says.

The additional benefits of the hybrid power solution at Sukari, according to JUWI, include lowering the site’s carbon emissions by an estimated 60,000 t CO2/y and a subsequent reduction in the volume of diesel trucked to the site, plus a reduction in operating costs

Stephan Hansen, COO and Managing Director of JUWI,said: “We are delighted to have been able to deliver this flagship project to Centamin and, furthermore, to have been able to demonstrate the vital role that dependable solar, wind and battery solutions can already play in the transformation of the resource sector on the de-carbonisation pathway.”

JUWI has already achieved success for mining clients globally with the world’s first utility scale solar battery hybrid project at the DeGrussa Copper mine in Australia. This was followed by Agnew Gold (Australia) in 2019 and another six hybrid projects in Australia and Africa for Tier 1 and Mid Tier miners: Esperance, Pan African Resources, Jacinth Ambrosia, Jabiru, Weipa and Gruyere.

Centamin’s Sukari solar power plant performing ahead of expectations

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Centamin says the solar plant at its Sukari gold mine, in Egypt, has entered the final stages of commissioning and is delivering savings ahead of expectations.

Furthermore, it says continued progress has been made to assess the opportunity to use Egyptian grid power at Sukari.

The solar plant, which is made up of a 36 MW solar farm and 7.5 MW battery–energy storage system, has been consistently delivering 36 MW DC, converting to 30 MW AC of power, since early September, the company said. This reduction in exposure to volatile fuel pricing with commissioning is saving the company up to 70,000 litres per day of diesel and averaging a reduction in diesel consumption of 22 million litres per year, according to Centamin.

Based on current diesel prices, this means the plant has the potential to provide annual cost savings of $20 million, alongside an expected reduction in Scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 60,000 t/y CO2 equivalent and a subsequent reduction in volume of diesel trucked to site.

Full commissioning of the solar plant is expected this quarter, the company added.

Centamin previously awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contracts for the 36 MW solar farm and 7.5 MW battery–energy storage system at Sukari to juwi AG and Giza Systems. juwi was contracted to design, supply and integrate the Sukari solar and battery plant into the current diesel power plant, while Giza Systems was contracted to install the Sukari solar plant. To maximise the total energy generation, the project is using bifacial solar photovoltaic modules and single axis tracking. juwi Hybrid IQ microgrid technology will enable the integration of the solar and battery system into the existing off–grid network and support the operation of the existing power station, according to the company.

On top of the solar plant news, Centamin revealed it is actively engaged with government and independent power providers to further reduce its reliance on diesel at Sukari. Its initial proposals to supply 30–50 MW AC of grid power to Sukari have been received and an internal evaluation is underway for potential integration from 2024, it said.

Fifty megawatts of AC grid power supply creates the potential to fully displace the use of diesel for power generation at Sukari, Centamin said. The minimum 30 MW AC of grid power, combined with the existing 30 MW AC of solar power, creates the potential to operate during daylight hours without using any diesel power generation and substantially offsetting diesel consumption during night time hours, it said.

The Egyptian grid power is generated from natural gas and a mix of renewables, such as hydro, solar and wind, creating the opportunity to further reduce Sukari’s GHG emissions. Further, the Egyptian industrial grid tariffs are significantly cheaper than the cost of power
generation using diesel fuel, Centamin said.

Martin Horgan, CEO of Centamin, said: “Delivery of this critical project is instrumental to our ongoing commitment to reduce our reliance on diesel fuel, minimise greenhouse gas emissions and realising material cost savings. The solar plant and potential to integrate grid power will contribute materially to our environmental stewardship philosophy and our strategic objective of maximising returns for all stakeholders.”

BHP Nickel West eyes wind power potential as Northern Goldfields Solar Project kicks off

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Construction is now underway on one of the world’s largest off-grid mining solar and battery energy storage systems being built by TransAlta to help power BHP Nickel West’s Mt Keith and Leinster operations.

The Northern Goldfields Solar Project, which was announced last year, includes a 27.4 MW solar farm at Mt Keith, a 10.7 MW solar farm and a 10.1 MW battery at Leinster, and will be integrated into TransAlta’s Northern Goldfields remote power grid.

The project, which will replace power currently supplied by diesel and gas, will help BHP Nickel West reduce Scope 2 emissions at its Mt Keith and Leinster operations by 12%, resulting in an estimated reduction of 54,000 t/y of CO2-e.

The construction phase of the project is set to create more than 100 direct and indirect jobs in the Goldfields and Perth regions, and is expected to produce its first solar power by November 2022.

The project aims to employ Traditional Owners from the Tijwarl Native Title Holders following TransAlta’s contractor, juwi, awarding Cundaline Resources with the primary civil contractor role on the project. Cundaline Resources is an Aboriginal business whose owners include members of the Tjiwarl Aboriginal Corporation.

BHP Nickel West Asset President, Jessica Farrell, said BHP was meeting its commitment to deliver sustainable low carbon nickel to its customers, a product that is in high demand to power batteries and electric vehicles.

“The Northern Goldfields Solar Project is BHP’s first off-grid large-scale renewable energy project across our global operations and, significantly, will remove the equivalent of up to 23,000 combustion engine cars from the road every year, supporting our greenhouse gas reduction targets,” Farrell said.

“It is also very exciting that following years of close engagement with the Tjiwarl Native Title Holders, our project has contracted the services of a local Aboriginal business, boosting opportunities for people in the local community and across the northern Goldfields generally.”

TransAlta also unveiled today it had entered into an agreement with BHP to identify potential wind sites for a 40-50 MW wind farm, which would connect to TransAlta’s northern grid and reduce Scope 2 emissions at BHP’s Mt Keith and Leinster operations by an estimated further 30 per cent.

Adding wind will increase renewable energy supply to support BHP’s growth and to further each company’s sustainability goals, BHP said.

TransAlta Australia Managing Director, Kelvin Koay, said the construction phase of the solar and battery farm was an exciting step for the project.

“The Northern Goldfields Solar Project is TransAlta’s first renewable energy project in Australia and is an important element of our Clean Electricity Growth plan. This project contributes to achieving TransAlta’s target of a 75% GHG emissions reduction over 2015 levels by 2026 and 2050 carbon neutrality goal. As a company, we have a strong decarbonisation track record having already achieved a 61% emissions reduction since 2005.

“We’ve had a long-standing partnership with BHP since the 1990s and we welcome the opportunity to support BHP in meeting its carbon emission targets and in enhancing its competitiveness as one of the lowest carbon nickel miners in the world.”

Iluka taps into hybrid power at Jacinth-Ambrosia after KPS project completion

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Pacific Energy says its subsidiary, KPS Power Generation, has completed the conversion of Iluka Resources’ 10 MW diesel power station at the Jacinth-Ambrosia mineral sands mine in South Australia to a hybrid power facility.

The “world first” hybrid power station incorporates both solar photovoltaics and electric turbo compounding (ETC) technology, combined with an upgraded control system, Pacific Energy said. ETC technology allows generators to maintain the same power output using less fuel and producing lower CO2 emissions, making generators work more cleanly and effectively by recovering waste energy.

The reduction in diesel consumption and improvement in fuel efficiency is expected to save over 2 million litres of diesel and over 5,500 t/y of CO2 at the operation, according to Pacific Energy.

KPS has operated the 10 MW diesel power station at the Jacinth-Ambrosia site since 2009. Under the new contract, which runs for an initial term of seven years, KPS will:

  • Install 3.5 MW of solar power generation;
  • Integrate the solar array with the diesel power station; and
  • Introduce ETC technology to each of the 10 1 MW generators.

juwi Renewable Energy Pty Ltd, the Brisbane-based subsidiary of juwi AG, constructed the medium penetration solar/diesel hybrid power solution for Jacinth-Ambrosia, with KPS owning and operating the hybrid project. It is expected to deliver almost 21% of the mine site’s annual electricity needs.

Shane Tilka, General Manager, Australian Operations at Iluka, said: “The move from diesel to hybrid energy at Jacinth-Ambrosia marks an important evolution in Iluka’s Australian operations. It also offers a potential blueprint for the future use of renewable energy at the company’s other existing and planned operations.”

Pacific Energy Group CEO, Jamie Cullen, said: “We are thrilled to work alongside Iluka, a valued long-term client to deliver a world-class, world-first solar PV and ETC hybrid power facility, and to assist them with reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to net-zero emissions.”

juwi South Africa to build solar PV plant at Pan African’s Evander Mines

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Pan African says it has entered into an engineering, procurement and construction (EPCM) agreement with juwi South Africa to construct its 9.975 MW solar photovoltaic plant at Evander Mines in the country.

Construction will commence in the March quarter of 2021, with first power expected in the September quarter of 2021, it said.

Part of the international juwi Group, juwi South Africa is one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies. To date, juwi South Africa has built six utility scale solar plants totalling 207 MW under the South African Government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Programme, Pan African said.

The Evander Mines solar photovoltaic plant will utilise bi-facial module technology to maximise its yield and it will be constructed on previously disturbed land owned by Evander Mines, Pan African said. The plant will provide an estimated 30% of Elikhulu’s power requirement during daylight hours and is expected to materially reduce electricity costs at this operation. Furthermore, the Evander solar photovoltaic plant is expected to enhance the reliability of the power supply during daylight hours and result in an expected CO2 saving of more than 26,000 tonnes in its first year of its operation.

Elikhulu has capacity to process an estimated 1 Mt/mth of tailings with a projected output of approximately 55,000 oz/mth of gold.

The total cost of the Evander solar photovoltaic plant is ZAR140 million ($9.4 million), with a calculated payback on this investment of less than five years, Pan African said.

“This solar photovoltaic plant further reduces Elikhulu’s environmental impact and is just one of a number of initiatives in the group’s commitment to producing high-margin ounces in a safe and efficient manner, while investing in local communities and minimising the environmental impact of operations,” it added.

Pan African is also assessing the merits of expanding the Evander Mines solar photovoltaic plant in due course to provide for a clean energy feed to its Egoli project, and of a similar solar photovoltaic plant at the group’s Barberton Mines operations.

Pan African CEO, Cobus Loots, said: “The Evander Mines solar photovoltaic plant is integral to the group’s purpose of ‘Mining for a Future’ and pursuing ESG initiatives that go beyond compliance. This plant will be one of the first of its kind in the South African mining space. We look forward to commissioning the operation during 2021, on budget and on schedule.”

Gold Fields Agnew hybrid power project starts up

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Global distributed energy producer EDL has switched on its 23 MW power station, which integrates photovoltaic solar with gas and diesel generation, to power Gold Fields’ Agnew gold mine, in Western Australia.

This switch-on completes the first stage of one of Australia’s largest hybrid renewable micro-grid projects, according to EDL.

EDL CEO, James Harman, said: “With this project, EDL and Gold Fields are leading the way towards clean, renewable energy to power remote, off-grid mining operations without compromising reliability or power quality.”

Gold Fields Executive Vice President: Australasia, Stuart Mathews, said: “The power station we are officially opening today integrates 4 MW solar generation from our new solar farm and is underpinned by 19 MW of gas and diesel generation. It will soon include other renewable energy technologies coming online in the next stage of the project.”

He referred to the importance of the A$112 million ($76 million) project to both Gold Fields and the broader industry: “This is a significant milestone for both the Agnew gold mine and the broader Gold Fields Group, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to strengthening our energy security, optimising energy costs and reducing our carbon footprint through the adoption of new technologies. We are hopeful that this will also enable other companies to consider the options for decarbonising their operations.”

The second stage of the project, which includes 18 MW wind generation, a 13 MW battery and an advanced micro-grid control system, is currently under construction and due to be completed in mid-2020.

It has the backing of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency with a recoupable A$13.5 million contribution to the construction cost of the project.

Once completed, the Agnew Hybrid Renewable project will be the first to use wind generation as part of a large hybrid micro-grid in the Australian mining sector. It will have a total installed generation capacity of 54 MW, with renewables providing over 50% of the Agnew gold mine’s power requirements, with the potential to increase this further by adopting innovative operational practices such as the dynamic load shedding, renewables forecasting and load control management.

As part of the EDL remit, juwi Renewable Energy, the Australia subsidiary of international project developer juwi, delivered a 4 MW Single Axis Tracking PV installation together with cloud forecasting and an advanced micro-grid control system to enable integration with the mine off-grid network.

Siemens and juwi push forward with microgrids for mining systems

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Siemens and renewable energy developer juwi have joined forces to enter into a strategic technology partnership to focus on microgrids for the mining industry.

An agreement, signed this week, will see the two companies aim to roll-out and continually develop the advanced microgrid control system that enables the seamless integration of power from renewable energy to a mine’s off-grid power supply, they said.

The Siemens Sicam based microgrid control platform, a proven and tested technology Siemens says, is the basis for juwi´s Hybrid IQ microgrid controller. juwi, meanwhile, brings industry-specific domain knowhow and a track record of planning and executing renewable energy projects at mine sites.

Juwi says: “The solution adapts to changing orebodies, processing and power requirements whilst providing detailed reporting and analysis to operations teams and management. Together, the strategic partners create a unique, standardised solution for the mining market.”

This will simplify the use of renewable energy for mines and help provide a cost-effective and reliable power supply, especially for mine sites that operate off the grid, according to the companies.

Robert Klaffus (left), CEO Digital Grid at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, said: “Microgrids can bring high levels of reliability and improved energy quality to energy-intensive industries such as mining; and are an attractive alternative when autonomous power supply is needed.

“We are looking forward to the technology cooperation with juwi on microgrids and believe it will boost the commercial appeal of renewable energy to the mining industry.”

Stephan Hansen (right), a Board Member and COO of the juwi Group, added: “Renewable energy will not only future-proof mining operations, but reduce cash operating costs today. The centrepiece to this is the juwi Hybrid IQ system. It enables us to provide hybrid power that goes far beyond what has been industry practice until now.”

The co-operation between juwi and Siemens has already resulted in the successful delivery of the solar power plant at Gold Fields’ Agnew gold mine in Australia, the companies said. A renewable and low-carbon energy project at the mine is being developed by global energy group EDL. juwi is working with EDL to deliver 4 MW Single Axis Tracking PV installation together with cloud forecasting and an advanced microgrid control system to enable integration with the mine off-grid network at Agnew.

The partnership has also provided hybrid power to Australia’s largest and oldest marine research station on the Great Barrier Reef of Queensland. Heron Island now uses juwi Hybrid IQ to combine solar with a redox flow battery to replace diesel fuel.

“Both projects showcase the next generation of hybrid systems and enable mine sites to significantly lower their carbon footprint and their cash operating costs,” they said.

Orion Minerals looks at renewable options for Prieska zinc-copper project

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Orion Minerals, through its subsidiary, Repli Trading No 27, has entered into a collaboration agreement with juwi Renewable Energies South Africa to investigate renewable energy generation for its Prieska zinc-copper project in the Northern Cape of South Africa.

The preliminary scope is to investigate the feasibility of generating and supplying 35 MW of electricity for Prieska, from a hybrid power system using integrated wind and solar technologies. The renewable energy generation site will be located within 20 km of Prieska, making the establishment of a dedicated feed via an overhead power transmission line possible, Orion said.

juwi is part of the international juwi Group, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies. Its business is focused on both solar energy and onshore wind energy. To date, juwi South Africa has built five utility-scale solar plants totalling 121 MW and developed the 138 MW Garob Wind Farm, which will soon start construction.

juwi South Africa also participates in the South Africa Government’s Small Independent Power Producer Program and operates and maintains all its solar projects on behalf of their owners.

In Australia, juwi was recently responsible for the project development, design, construction and now operations of a $40 million, 10 MW solar power facility which came into commercial operation in 2016 at Sandfire Resources’ DeGrussa copper-gold mine in Western Australia. Orion said: “This facility has since attracted international attention as the largest off-grid integrated solar and battery storage facility in the world. With close to three years of operational data and 100% uptime, this successful project has established juwi as leaders in hybrid power supply solutions for mines.”

The investigations into renewable energy solutions at Orion’s Prieska project will complement the ongoing bankable feasibility study, with the additional benefit of potentially improving the base case plan of obtaining national grid power directly from the Cuprum sub-station already established on site, Orion said.

“Developing the renewable energy potential of the region is also a strategic goal of local government, as communicated in its Integrated Development Plans,” Orion said.

The Prieska copper mine operated from 1971 to 1991, employing approximately 4,000 people. The mine milled 46.8 Mt, producing more than 430,000 t of copper and more than 1 Mt of zinc in concentrate. Post May 1987, no more than 2 Mt of ore was blasted, with milling of surface stockpiles carried out from 1989. In 1991, the mine was closed and the site rehabilitated. It now has a defined maiden resource under the Orion ownership of 1.1 Mt of contained zinc grading 3.8% Zn and 365,000 t of contained copper grading an average 1.2% Cu. The deposit is regarded as one of the world’s 30 largest VMS orebodies, according to Orion.