BHP to power two Australian mines with solar power and also battery storage

• Anglo-Australian mining company BHP, in collaboration with Canada's TransAlta Renewables, is to develop two solar farms and also a battery storage system to help power its Mt Keith and Leinster nickel mines in Western Australia.

The Canadian independent power producer (IPP) claimed yesterday that its power subsidiary Southern Cross will certainly build, possess and operate a 27.4 MW project in Mount Keith and a 10.7 MW farm in Leinster in addition to a 10.1 MW/5.4 MWh battery storage space center as part of the Northern Goldfields project.

BHP stated the farms will help it reduce exhausts from electricity at the mines by 12%, based upon 2020 levels, displacing power presently provided by diesel as well as gas wind turbine generation.

BHP signed a power acquisition agreement with TransAlta in October 2020 and construction will begin in Q2 2022. It is anticipated to take 12-14 months at an expense of AU$ 73 million (US$ 54 million).

"The Northern Goldfields Solar Project will certainly better improve our placement as one of the lowest carbon nickel miners in the world," said BHP Nickel West property president Eddy Haegel.

The Northern Goldfields project undergoes last WA state federal government approvals.

BHP was among seven firms this month to have actually been shortlisted for financing from an AU$ 70 million pot to aid eco-friendly hydrogen projects in Australia by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).