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Constructings the world's largest mining solar and battery storage project
Construction is now underway on one of the world’s largest off-grid mining solar and battery energy storage systems, with Stantec working as the project management consultant on this ground-breaking project.
The Northern Goldfields Solar Project in Western Australia, being built by TransAlta to help power BHP Nickel West’s Mt Keith and Leinster operations, 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.
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Reducing emissions
The project, which will reduce the amount of power to the mines currently supplied by diesel and gas, will help BHP Nickel West reduce scope 2 emissions at its Mt Keith and Leinster operations by 12 per cent, resulting in an estimated reduction of 54,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.
Local engagement
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 in the second half of 2022.
The project aims to employ Traditional Owners from the Tijwarl Native Title Holders. Both TransAlta and BHP have prioritised their stakeholder engagement with the Tjiwarl Traditional Owners to understand what is important to them throughout the planning, development, and construction of the project.
Striving for net zero
The Northern Goldfields Solar Project is TransAlta’s first renewable energy project in Australia. This project contributes to achieving TransAlta’s target of a 75 per cent greenhouse gas emissions reduction over 2015 levels by 2026 and carbon neutrality by 2050.
Stantec share similar goals, pledging to become carbon neutral in 2022 and then net zero by 2030. As a business we are fully focused on assisting our clients with energy transition initiatives. We bring our global energy experts together as a one-stop-shop to delivering renewable energy projects from concept through to planning and design, commissioning, and start-up.
For more information about our energy transition offering click here.
