Gold producer, Centamin, has awarded a contract to juwi AG and Giza Systems, for the development of a 36MW solar farm and 7.5 MW battery storage system at the Sukari Gold Mine. The facility is set to be the largest off-grid solar-storage hybrid plant ever installed at a mining operation globally.
juwi will be responsible for the design, supply and integration of the Sukari solar and battery plant into the current diesel power plant, whilst Giza Systems has been contracted to install the Sukari solar plant.
Centamin’s decision to integrate sustainable solar power at Sukari is fully aligned with our commitment to responsible mining
Martin Horgan, CEO of Centamin
The project’s total capital expenditure is estimated at US$37 million.
The solar-storage hybrid facility is expected to reduce diesel fuel consumption at Sukari by an estimated 22 million litres per annum and lower carbon emissions an estimated 60,000 tonnes CO2-e per annum. The project is scheduled to be commissioned late in H1 2022.
Powering African mines with renewables
Dave Manning, Director Global Hybrid at juwi commented saying; “We look forward to assisting Centamin to reduce carbon emissions and cost of power to the Sukari Gold Mine. This global flagship project highlights significant benefits that African mines can unlock with solar battery hybrid solutions powered with juwi Hybrid IQ.”
The Sukari solar plant will be the largest hybrid solar project at an off-grid mining operation globally and is expected to reduce diesel fuel consumption at Sukari by an estimated 22 million litres per annum and lower carbon emissions an estimated 60,000 tonnes CO2-e per annum.
Sukari is optimally located within Egypt’s Eastern Desert which has some of the highest levels of solar irradiance globally, averaging over ten hours of sunshine a day throughout the year. To maximise the total energy generation, the project will use bifacial solar PV modules and a single axis tracking. juwi Hybrid IQ micro-grid technology will enable the integration of the solar and battery system into the existing off-grid network and support the operation of the existing power station.
Further benefits of integrating solar as a sustainable power solution are the reduction in operating costs, including an estimated US$9-13 million savings in annual fuel costs and reduced exposure to fuel price volatility; increased reliability of the power system; and reduced traffic and fuel transport to and from site. The project has been engineered with a longer term outlook, enabling the solar and battery capacity to be increased if required.
