Resolute Mining plans to introduce solar power delivery at the Syama gold mine in south Mali, Africa by the third quarter of 2020 after signing a 16-year contract with Aggreko.
Under the contract, Aggreko will deliver a new hybrid power plant at Syama, installing, operating and maintaining a 40-megawatt thermal power plant and a 10-megawatt battery storage system.
The hybrid power solution will reduce Syama’s power costs by an estimated 40 per cent. Once all renewable power sources are fully installed, carbon emissions will also be reduced by around 20 per cent.
The power plant will be installed in two stages, with phase one construction due to start immediately.
Phase one will be the installation of the battery storage system and three Wästsilä modular blocks which will provide 30-megawatts of power next to the existing power station.
In 2022, Aggreko aims to begin phase two, installing one more 10-megawatt modular block then 20-megawatts of solar power system the following year.
The energy company is no stranger to Syama, having provided rental power solutions at the Mali mine since 2015, which have been the mine’s primary source of power since August 2019.
Aggreko chief executive officer Chris Weston said this project is another example of how the company’s mobile and modular approach allows customers to future-proof their power generation technology.
“We are very pleased to have reached this pioneering agreement with Resolute designed to increase efficiency and reduce carbon emissions,” Weston said.
Resolute chief executive officer and managing director John Welborn said implementing Aggreko’s solar solutions was central to achieving the company’s future goals.
“Identifying and adopting world-class technologies to improve operations is fundamental to achieving Resolute’s ambitions,” Welborn said.
“Having worked together for several years, we know Aggreko is the right partner to support us as we integrate renewable energy into our Syama operation.”
Resolute is targeting for the first delivery of power from the plant upgrade in the third quarter of 2020.