Mines and Petroleum and Energy Minister Bill Johnston today officially opened stage one of Gold Fields' Agnew Hybrid Renewable Project in Western Australia.
The project, located 23 kilometres west of Leinster, is leading the way in the transition to renewable power for off-grid, remote mines.
Energy producer EDL is delivering the project, which will incorporate wind and solar generation into a hybrid renewable system to supply energy to the mine site.
Once completed it will become Australia's largest hybrid renewable energy microgrid and the first to use wind generation at a mine site.
Stage one comprises an off-grid 23 megawatts (MW) power station incorporating 16MW gas, 3MW diesel generation and 4MW photovoltaic solar.
Stage two, which the Australian Renewable Energy Agency is supporting through its contribution of $13.5 million, is already underway and expected to be completed next year.
Once Stage Two is complete, with the addition of 18MW wind generation (five turbines), a 13MW battery and an advanced micro-grid control system, the project will provide the mine with more than 50 per cent renewable energy over the next ten years.
As stated by Mines and Petroleum and Energy Minister Bill Johnston:
"I congratulate Gold Fields and EDL for their collaborative work in completing stage one of this incredibly innovative project.
"The McGowan Government is supportive of mining and resources companies that are embracing renewable energy solutions, particularly when it helps reduce their carbon emissions.
"This innovative, Australia-first project is setting the standard for powering mine sites throughout Western Australia."
