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BHP Mitsubishi Alliance secures half of Central Queensland power requirements with renewables

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BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) has entered into a new renewable power purchase agreement (PPA) with Queensland’s publicly-owned energy generator and retailer CleanCo, which, the company says, is expected to provide half the forecasted electricity demand of BMA’s Central Queensland operations over five years from January 2026.

The new PPA will run to the end of 2030 and effectively extend an existing low carbon emission power agreement between BMA and CleanCo currently running to the end of 2025.

This second PPA will enable BMA to continue to source half of its expected electricity needs from low greenhouse gas emission sources such as solar and wind, as well as pumped hydro.

BHP President Australia, Geraldine Slattery, said: “We are increasing renewable electricity at BMA in line with our decarbonisation commitments to 2030 and beyond, improving the long-term sustainability of our business while at the same time supporting Queensland’s renewable electricity infrastructure build, regional communities and local jobs.

“We expect demand for Queensland’s higher-quality metallurgical coal to remain strong for many years to come, as major steelmakers look to reduce their emissions intensity while delivering the steel needed to support global population growth and decarbonisation infrastructure.”

BHP Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, said: “Using more renewable electricity at our operated assets across the globe is key to our operational decarbonisation strategy. We are pleased to continue our strong relationship with CleanCo.

“Through a growing number of agreements to supply our mines in Chile, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia with renewable electricity, we are making good progress on decarbonisation while supporting the development of renewable infrastructure and stimulating regional economies.”

The new PPA will help support four renewable electricity projects across regional Queensland, which combined are expected to generate more than 1,500 local jobs during construction: the Dulacca Wind Farm due for completion in late 2023, the MacIntyre Wind Farm due for completion in 2025, and the Western Downs Green Power Hub and Kaban Wind Farm that currently supply electricity to the grid and are expected to reach full commercial operation later this year.

The PPA is also linked to CleanCo’s new renewable energy storage initiative, which directs excess renewables to the Wivenhoe Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Power Station to support an increase in around-the-clock renewable supply and cost management.

CleanCo CEO, Tom Metcalfe, said: “At CleanCo we are committed to providing tailored, clean energy solutions to help our customers decarbonise.

“It is our role to develop solutions that meet the unique energy needs of these companies so that they can thrive in a net zero future and I am thrilled BMA has entrusted CleanCo to continue to supply reliable, renewable energy for its operations.”

BHP is on track to achieve its medium-term target to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30% by FY2030 (from FY2020 levels). BHP also has a long-term goal to achieve net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Zenith Energy and Northern Star seal renewable energy-focused PPA at Jundee

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Zenith Energy has converted the preliminary works agreement and term sheet it had in place with Northern Star Resources related to bolstering the power supply to the Jundee gold mine in Western Australia with a renewable energy Power Purchase Agreement.

Jundee is an existing mining operation that will have wind, solar and battery retrofitted into the mix and integrated into the existing gas power station. The renewable generation being added includes 24 MW of wind, 16.9 MWp of solar, and 12 MW/13.4 MWh of battery energy storage.

Zenith says this new energy mix will result in 56% of the mine site’s power coming from renewable sources, contributing towards the aim of cutting Jundee’s Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 35-50% by 2030.

Currently all ore is sourced from Jundee underground operations which yield circa-1.8 Mt/y of ore. There are three underground portals which provide access to the various underground lode structures – Barton, Gateway and Invicta portals. Underground mining is being carried out by an up-hole long-hole open stoping sequence as its primary method. No backfill or paste is used.

The Jundee processing circuit is a conventional carbon-in-leach plant with a hard-rock processing capacity of approximately 3 Mt/y. The process consists of a single toggle overhead eccentric swing jaw crusher followed by a SAG and ball milling circuit incorporating gravity recovery and carbon-in-pulp process achieving 92% recoveries, according to Northern Star.

Zenith Energy gears up to supply 95 MW of hybrid power to Liontown’s Kathleen Valley project

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Zenith Energy has converted the Letter of Award it signed with Liontown Resources to supply electricity to the Kathleen Valley lithium project in Western Australia into a Power Purchase Agreement.

The PPA will see Zenith supply the project with electricity for a period of 15 years as part of a 95 MW hybrid power station setup at the mine.

Zenith has, since the signing of the Letter of Award, announced in September, progressed the planning, engineering and design works for the hybrid power station, including the order of long-lead items such as the wind turbines.

With 46 MW of emission-free power generation capacity, the 95 MW hybrid power station is currently expected to be one of the largest off-grid wind-solar-battery storage renewable energy facilities in the mining industry in Australia.

The thermal components are designed to operate in “engine off” mode at various times, enabling Liontown to operate from 100% renewable energy during periods of high wind and solar resource, the companies say.

The hybrid power station is expected to start up around the same time as the Kathleen Valley process plant is commissioned, currently slated for the first half of 2024.

The plant will include wind generation from five wind turbines each capable of generating 6 MW. A 16 MWp fixed axis solar photovoltaic array coupled to a 17 MW/19 MWh battery energy storage system will provide additional clean energy, supported by synchronous condensers that provide critical system stability and resilience, Zenith said. The thermal power component will comprise 27 MW of gas generation and 5 MW of diesel standby generation.

Kathleen Valley is one of the world’s largest and highest-grade hard-rock lithium deposits and, with an initial 2.5 Mt/y production capacity, is expected to supply circa-500,000 t/y of 6% lithium oxide concentrate, according to the company. With first production expected in June quarter of 2024, the deposit will also produce tantalum pentoxide.

BHP partners with Neoen on Olympic Dam renewable power pact

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BHP says it has signed a renewable Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Neoen, which is expected to meet half of Olympic Dam’s electricity needs from its 2026 financial year.

The agreement, which is based on current forecast demand, will allow Olympic Dam to record a net zero emission position for the contracted volume of supply, according to BHP.

The PPA is expected to supply 70 MW of electricity to Olympic Dam and will support Neoen to construct the 203 MW Goyder South Stage 1b Wind Farm, assuming all relevant consents are obtained, BHP said. This wind farm is to form part of the larger Goyder Renewables Zone in South Australia, and will introduce new renewable generation into the South Australian electricity grid.

In addition, Neoen will construct a large-scale battery energy storage system in Blyth, South Australia, to support the PPA, which will also assist in improving the stability of the South Australian electricity grid.

Goyder South Stage 1, consisting of Goyder South 1a and 1b, is the first stage of Neoen’s flagship project known as Goyder Renewables Zone – a hybrid wind, solar and storage project located in mid-north South Australia. Goyder South has development approval for a total of 1,200 MW of wind generation, 600 MW of solar generation and 900 MW of battery storage capacity – making it South Australia’s largest renewable project.

BHP Olympic Dam Asset President, Jennifer Purdie, said: “The world needs South Australia’s high-quality copper to build renewable technologies and infrastructure, and BHP is focused on producing that copper more sustainably.”

“This agreement will support BHP on its decarbonisation journey, and provide new firmed renewable energy and increased stability to the South Australian grid.”

This latest agreement follows commitments BHP has made in recent years, which have seen renewable electricity contribute to powering BHP facilities in Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and Chile.

This PPA continues the actions BHP is taking to contribute to its medium-term target to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions (Scopes 1 and 2 from its operated assets) by at least 30% from adjusted 2020 financial year levels by its 2030 financial year.

BHP’s Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, said: “BHP is consciously working towards our target of at least a 30% reduction in our operational emissions by FY2030. Renewable energy partnerships, such as this agreement with Neoen, are important steps towards that outcome, and our longer-term 2050 net zero goal.”

Louis de Sambucy, Neoen Australia’s Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to provide BHP with this highly innovative solution. We are convinced that our ability to combine our assets and our energy management capabilities to create bespoke commercial offers will be a key element of success for our future developments.”

Xavier Barbaro, Neoen’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, added: “We thank BHP for their vote of confidence. Thanks to its storage assets and deep expertise, Neoen is now able to offer 24/7 energy to its customers. This first baseload PPA is a significant step forward for Neoen and will serve as a template for future contracts, opening up new market opportunities in Australia and in the rest of the world.”

Neoen, BHP says, is one of the world’s leading independent producers of exclusively renewable energy, having close to 5.6 GW of solar, wind and storage capacity in operation or under construction across numerous countries.

AngloGold investigating use of battery-electric vehicles at Cuiaba mine in Brazil

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AngloGold Ashanti says it is weighing up the potential introduction of battery-electric vehicles at its Cuiaba mine in Brazil as a small part of a wider initiative to achieve a 30% absolute reduction in its Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 2030.

The company says this carbon emission reduction target could be met through a combination of renewable energy projects, fleet electrification and lower-emission power sources. The company has already reduced its absolute GHG emissions by more than two thirds since 2007, and remains committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

The targeted reduction announced today, from a 2021 baseline of 1.4 Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), aims to see emissions from the company’s activities diminish to about 1 Mt by the end of the decade. When growth projects are factored in, including those in Nevada and Colombia, AngloGold Ashanti is targeting a 46% reduction in emissions by the end of the decade.

The capital cost required to achieve these reductions over the coming eight years is anticipated to be about $1.1 billion, of which $350 million will be funded over that period by AngloGold Ashanti and the remaining $750 million through third-party funding, including from providers of renewable energy infrastructure. The company plans in the coming weeks to initiate a process to secure a green funding facility of $250-300 million to finance its portion of these decarbonisation initiatives across its business.

“We have a clear pathway to achieve our target by 2030, when we expect to have lowered our overall emissions by almost a third,” AngloGold Ashanti Chief Executive Officer, Alberto Calderon, said. “This ensures we continue to do our part in reducing our carbon footprint, while also improving the value of our business.”

The targeted reductions announced today incorporate initiatives at each business unit including the introduction of renewable energy, cleaner grid power and partial fleet electrification.

Approximately 60% of the planned emissions reductions will come from large renewable energy projects including wind and solar projects at the company’s Australian operations and solar-power plants at both Siguiri in Guinea and the Iduapriem and Obuasi operations in Ghana, AngloGold said. In addition, a prefeasibility study has commenced at the Cuiaba mine in Brazil to confirm the benefits of replacing some mobile fleet with battery-electric vehicles. AngloGold will also be working with Sandvik to trial underground mining’s largest-capacity BEV truck, the 65-t payload TH665B at Sunrise Dam.

The Cuiabá complex includes the Cuiabá and Lamego underground mines and the Cuiabá and Queiroz plants. Ore from the Cuiabá and Lamego mines is processed at the Cuiabá gold plant. The concentrate produced is transported by aerial ropeway to the Queiroz plant for processing and refining. Total annual capacity of the complete Cuiabá circuit is 1.75 Mt.

The viability of a wind farm at Cerro Vanguardia in Argentina is also being investigated. The vast majority of these projects are expected to be NPV-positive adding value to the business by reducing energy costs and improving energy security, the company said.

Two “clean grid” initiatives are already close to completion – a switch from diesel generation at the Geita mine site in Tanzania to the country’s national power grid, which has a high proportion of power sourced from gas and renewables, and the transition to full hydro-grid power in Brazil.

Rio Tinto’s Richard Bay Minerals to go solar with help of Voltalia, BEE partners

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Rio Tinto’s 74%-owned Richard’s Bay Minerals (RBM) business will soon be supplied with renewable solar power through an agreement with international energy company Voltalia and local Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) partners, for its operation in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Rio says.

Under the agreement, Voltalia will begin construction of the Bolobedu Solar PV renewable energy project in 2023, at a site in the province of Limpopo. The power plant is scheduled to be complete by 2024 and will deliver an annual generation capacity of up to 300 GWh. It will feed into the national power grid to supply RBM’s smelting and processing facilities through a “wheeling agreement”.

The renewable power supply is expected to cut RBM’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10%, or 237,000 t/y of CO2e, Rio says.

Rio Tinto Minerals Chief Executive, Sinead Kaufman, said: “The agreement, which is a first step towards reducing RBM’s carbon emissions, is a major milestone and one that is in line with Rio Tinto’s decarbonisation strategy. As this solar energy project progresses, we will continue exploring additional renewable solutions that further reduce our emissions in South Africa and make Richards Bay Minerals a contributor to our net zero commitment.”

Voltalia CEO, Sébastien Clerc, added: “We are very pleased to support RBM in its decarbonisation journey. The Bolobedu photovoltaic power plant will be our biggest project in Africa, after performing construction of a series of other solar plants for us or for clients, in the continent (Zimbabwe, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Mauritania and Egypt). This project is the first of our South African large solar-and-wind portfolio under development, in areas with grid connection available, that will be ready to support our clients to overpass the actual energy crisis with affordable, clean and stable electricity.”

Voltalia will work to ensure the Bolobedu Solar PV project creates local employment opportunities for the surrounding communities. A total workforce of more than 700 people is expected during construction, with a workforce of around 50 people once the plant becomes operational.

The project will also provide skills development opportunities for members of the surrounding communities, and a bursary program for young local learners. In support of South Africa’s growing renewable energy sector value chain, Voltalia will work to source its goods and services locally.

The Bolobedu Solar PV power plant will be 51% black-owned through BEE partners, with a minimum 10% stake going to black women, while the host community will also have a participation.

Bellevue Gold on its way to achieving ‘holy grail’ with EDL pact

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Bellevue Gold Limited says it has taken a pivotal step towards its aspirational goal of becoming Australia’s first ASX-listed gold miner with net-zero emissions by signing an Early Works Agreement with Energy Developments Pty Ltd and locking in long-lead items for its power station, ready for the processing plant commissioning in mid-2023.

The purchasing of the long lead items will see the company continue its carbon mitigation strategy, based off proven technologies with a Tier 1 power supplier, it said.

This agreement is a key step in Bellevue’s strategy to be powered by a forecast average of 80% renewable energy each year using a wind, solar and battery hybrid power solution.

EDL built, owns and operates a similar turnkey power solution at the Agnew gold mine, around 35 km south of the Bellevue gold project.

Bellevue and EDL are currently negotiating a Power Purchase Agreement for the project, which is subject to approval by the boards of both EDL and Bellevue.

Bellevue says its power solution is central to the company’s goal of generating the lowest carbon emissions per ounce of gold produced by any major Australian gold mine, with forecast emissions of between 0.15-0.20 t of CO2e/oz.

“As well as being the lowest emitter on a per ounce basis, the project is forecast to have the lowest total Scope 1 emissions of any major mine in Australia,” it said. “This will give the project the cleanest power supply in Australia based on a greenhouse gas per kilowatt hour basis of power generation.”

By reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with a renewable energy power station and undertaking other sustainable initiatives, Bellevue aims to produce carbon-neutral gold, giving the company a major competitive advantage in global investment markets, it says. This also provides potential for the company to seek a premium for the sale of ‘green gold’, it added.

The power station will prioritise the use of renewable energy and will also include a gas engine configuration, which, it says, will ensure there is sufficient power for the mine, even in the rare absence of solar and wind resources.

EDL will supply trucked LNG to the project to maintain optionality for any future technological innovations in thermal generation alternative fuels. Trucked LNG provides a much cleaner fuel than diesel, which was an important consideration to reduce emissions as far as possible, it said.

At a steady-state production rate of 1 Mt/y, renewable energy is expected to meet up to 80% of the project’s annual electricity needs, taking advantage of the region’s strong solar and wind resources.

Bellevue says it has been modelling the wind speeds and direction with a SODAR unit, which has allowed for the integration of wind turbines to increase the renewable energy penetration rate.

Maximising renewable energy uptake has been a key design consideration for the processing facility. The facility will have the ability to use more power – such as crushing and heating – when increased renewable energy is available, reducing thermal requirements, according to the company.

The planned infrastructure includes an oversized crushing circuit to facilitate a processing rate of more than 1.5 Mt/y (against current throughput rate of 1 Mt/y), allowing the operational flexibility in this area for an optimised match up of the renewable energy demand to the renewable energy resource.

The designed infrastructure will allow Bellevue to have a cost-effective renewable energy supply and optimise the power demand curve to better align with key daytime (solar) and night time (wind) energy peaks and troughs. Through the generation of power from renewable energy sources, it will create the optionality for the crushing circuit to maximise crushing in peak renewable energy generation periods. This will have the potential to offset more than 1 MW in demand on thermal power generation and lead to a direct cost saving and emissions reduction.

Bellevue Managing Director, Steve Parsons, said: “EDL is a leader in hybrid off-grid power stations. Their skills and experience will help ensure we maximise the use of renewable energy at the Bellevue gold project.

“Bellevue is forecasted to be a 200,000 oz a year gold miner with low all-in sustaining costs of A$1,000-A$1,100/oz ($644-$708/oz) powered by circa-80% renewable energy, with a pathway to net-zero emissions as a world-leading company in the race to decarbonise the mining sector.

“Our pre-production carbon mitigation strategy has been strategic and is world leading. It achieves the ‘holy grail’ of lower emissions and a direct cost reduction in power generation.

“The combination of these metrics is expected to will position Bellevue as one of the most sustainable and financially successful Australian gold miners, maximising returns for all stakeholders. It will also underpin the company’s strong appeal to global investors, who demand performance on both financial and ESG measures.”

On the same day as the EDL announcement, the company signed a Native Title Agreement with Tjiwarl (Aboriginal Corporation) RNTBC, being the native title rights and interests holders and traditional owners of the land which hosts the Bellevue gold project.

BHP looks to halve WA Iron Ore port facility emissions with Alinta Energy pact

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BHP says it expects to halve emissions from the generation of electricity used to power its WA Iron Ore port facilities in Port Hedland by the end of 2024, following the signing of a large-scale renewable Power Purchase Agreement with Alinta Energy.

The halving of reported emissions, based on current forecast demand and compared with financial year 2020 (FY2020) reported emissions, will contribute to BHP’s medium-term target to reduce operational emissions by at least 30% from FY2020 levels by 2030 and the company’s long-term goal of achieving net zero operational emissions by 2050.

This agreement between BHP and Alinta will see the construction and connection of a 45 MW solar farm and 35 MW battery energy storage system into Alinta Energy’s existing Port Hedland power station, approximately 14 km from BHP’s port facilities, BHP says.

The construction of the solar farm, subject to final regulatory approvals, is expected to begin in December 2022 and create 200 jobs.

Once completed, it is expected that 100% of the forecasted average daytime energy requirements for BHP’s port facilities will be powered by solar generation, with the remaining power requirements to be met through the integrated battery energy storage system and market access to Alinta Energy’s existing gas fuelled power station facilities.

BHP is the foundation customer of Alinta’s solar battery hybrid project, which is expected to be the first large-scale renewable facility at Port Hedland and will support the expansion of the renewable energy industry in Western Australia.

In addition, BHP and Alinta Energy have entered into a memorandum of understanding in relation to the development of the Shay Gap Wind Farm. The Shay Gap Wind Farm is currently planned to be 45 MW, with a potential first-generation date of 2027.

The PPA is the latest milestone in BHP progressing its plan to reduce operational emissions in line with BHP’s climate targets and goals.

In recent years, it has signed power purchase agreements to provide renewable energy to BHP’s Nickel West operations in Western Australia, Olympic Dam operations in South Australia, BMA operations in Queensland and the Escondida copper mine in Chile.

BHP’s WA Iron Ore Asset President, Brandon Craig, said: “The world needs WA’s high quality iron ore to support economic development and decarbonisation, and we are committed to supplying iron ore more sustainably while investing in WA and creating local jobs. We are delighted to expand our partnership with Alinta Energy as we seek to lower emissions from our WA iron ore business.”

Alinta Energy MD and CEO, Jeff Dimery, said that BHP was once again demonstrating strong leadership in the transition to net zero.

“This is exactly the kind of leadership, progress and smart use of renewables and storage that we need from companies like BHP to show the way forward for Australia,” he said. “We’re excited to get the project underway and thank BHP for their partnership and vision.”

Zenith Energy, Liontown go big with proposed hybrid power plan at Kathleen Valley lithium project

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Zenith Energy and Liontown Resources have partnered on what they say is Australia’s largest off-grid renewable energy hybrid power station project.

The letter of award between the two companies covers a potential contract to build, own, and operate the hybrid power station in Australia at Liontown’s Kathleen Valley Project in Western Australia.

The award will see Zenith Energy construct a 95 MW hybrid power station at Kathleen Valley in the Goldfields-Esperance region, which includes 30 MW of wind capacity, 16 MWp fixed axis solar PV array and a 17 MW/19 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS).

Kathleen Valley is one of the world’s largest and highest-grade hard-rock lithium deposits and, with an initial 2.5 Mt/y production capacity, is expected to supply circa-500,000 t/y of 6% lithium oxide concentrate, according to the company. With first production expected in June quarter of 2024, the deposit will also produce tantalum pentoxide.

Zenith Managing Director, Hamish Moffat, says the partnership will allow Zenith Energy to demonstrate its innovation, flexibility and expertise to deliver low-carbon emitting hybrid power solutions.

“Zenith Energy is proud to continue to play a lead role in the energy transition, and to provide like-minded partners with a glide path to net zero,” he said. “The project also further demonstrates Zenith Energy’s continued commitment to increasing the proportion of renewable generation in our portfolio.”

Artist impressions of what the Kathleen Valley site will look like (and above)

Moffat says the thermal components of the power station are designed to operate in ‘engine off’ mode at various times, delivering 100% renewable energy generation to Kathleen Valley.

“It’s an exciting opportunity to showcase our expertise, and the ability of renewables to deliver reliable, continuous supply, to power an entire mining operation,” he said. “It will once again raise the industry benchmark in renewable energy integration and demonstrates our commitment to power decarbonisation.”

Other unique aspects of the agreement include:

  • Largest off-grid hybrid power station in Australia: The hybrid power station is currently expected to have the largest off-grid renewable capacity of any mining project in the country, with 46 MW and 17 MW BESS; and
  • Renewable incentives: A combination of incentives to produce renewable power over thermal power together with a renewable energy guarantee will allow Liontown to meet and exceed its renewable energy factor target of 60% at startup and beyond.

Liontown Managing Director and CEO, Tony Ottaviano, says Liontown is delighted to partner with such an experienced and highly competent power producer.

“We believe Zenith Energy is an ideal partner to delivery an industry leading hybrid power station to meet Liontown’s energy needs and requirements for a high-capacity renewable solution,” Ottaviano said. “The hybrid power station proposed will enable Liontown to exceed our target of achieving at least 60% renewable energy at project start-up and beyond.”

Moffat says Zenith Energy is engaged with Traditional Owners, recently announcing a collaboration with Tjiwarl Contracting Services to work together to deliver low carbon emission power solutions for miners and communities on Tjiwarl native title determined lands.

Zenith Energy and Liontown have agreed key commercial terms and are working to finalise arrangements under a binding long term build, own and operate power purchase agreement.

ERG looks at green hydrogen, wind, solar power as part of decarbonisation efforts

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Eurasian Resources Group is exploring the potential use of green hydrogen in its calcination kilns, as well as installing a portfolio of wind and solar power plants with an up to 6 GW capacity as part of its decarbonisation plans, according to Dr Alexander Machkevitch, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

During the plenary session of the Council for Foreign Affairs under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, titled, ‘Decarbonisation of the economy: Implementation of low-carbon technologies to identify environmental, social and governance settings (ESG),’ Dr Machkevitch, shared ERG’s ambitious plans to decarbonise its operations, including those with a focus on green hydrogen and renewable energy generation.

These efforts form an important part of the group’s ESG strategy and support Kazakhstan’s own national decarbonisation targets, it says.

Dr Machkevitch said: “Our environmental strategy includes around 40 projects across the group, embracing the development and application of new technological solutions such as the unique hybrid filter technology implemented at our plants together with thyssenkrupp. At ERG, we are exploring to replace fossil fuel oil in calcination kilns with green hydrogen, which can eliminate 100% of direct greenhouse gas emissions in this technological process. The group also plans to develop a portfolio of wind and solar electric power plants with total capacity of up to 6 GW.”

The group’s ESG 2030 goals include specific targets for reducing particulate emissions, waste and water use, with the three priorities being the reduction of particulate emissions by two-fold, the reduction of water consumption by a third, and the prevention of more than 2 Mt/y of CO2 emissions through the use of renewable energy sources. These activities will cost around $1.6 billion.

ERG’s decarbonisation commitments will significantly support national climate targets, it says. Kazakhstan plans to reduce national GHG emissions by 1.5% a year between 2022 and 2025, achieve a 15% reduction by 2030 and seek carbon neutrality in 2060.