12: Gold Fields Limited

12

Gold Fields Limited

Gold Fields Limited is targeting 50% absolute emission and 30% net emission reductions from 2016 baseline (Scope 1 and 2) and net zero by 2050.

Initiatives include the integration of decarbonisation into business strategy, processes, and capital programmes; investment in renewables; and a reduction in the use of fuels.

As per Gold Fields’ decarbonisation plan, the renewable component of total electricity supply at its St Ives, Agnew, and Gruyere mines would be 95%, 73% and 25%, respectively, by 2030.

At the Gruyere Gold Mine in Western Australia, APA, which owns and operates a solar/gas/battery hybrid power solution for the mine, awarded the solar farm component to Juwi Renewable Energy Pty Ltd (Juwi).

The project comprises the addition by APA of a twelfth reciprocating gas-fired engine to the mine’s power station and the construction by juwi of a 13.6MWp solar farm. APA will also install a backup 4.4MW/4.4MWh battery energy storage system.

The project is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022.

The Agnew Mine is home to the country’s largest hybrid renewable micro grid, and the first to power a mine with mainly wind generated electricity. The mine’s energy requirements are being met by EDL operating a configuration of 18 MW wind, 4 MW solar, 13 MW/4 MWh battery storage, 18 MW gas, and 3 MW diesel generation.

According to Gold Fields Executive vice-president Stuart Matthews, the hybrid model at Agnew had been very successful with the mine achieving a renewable component of as much as 70 - 80% during optimal wind and solar conditions.

“We are working on a solution that could see this mine well over 90 per cent on renewables alone, including powering all our underground fans and things like that, powering the processing plant and everything up to 90 to 95 per cent on renewable energy alone,” Matthews added. Meanwhile, the St Ives mine is the subject of a feasibility study around the potential addition of renewable energy.