Multipurpose operator Swire Projects has delivered four GW165/6.0MW Goldwind wind turbines for Zenith Energy’s hybrid power station as part of the Bellevue Gold Project in Western Australia.
The large-scale gold mining operation in Western Australia’s Northern Goldfields is joining the decarbonisation charge in the sector with the development of a hybrid power station that will integrate renewable energy sources alongside traditional thermal generation. The 90 MW station will include 27 MW of solar, 24 MW of wind and a 15 MW/33 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
For the wind energy supply, Swire Projects collaborated with Sky Fusion, a specialised logistics and supply chain solutions provider, for the delivery of the turbine components from Yangzhou, China to Geraldton, Australia utilising its multipurpose H-Class vessel Pacific Humility. For stowage optimisation, the wind blades were stacked in three tiers, with the other wind components such as towers, generators, hubs and nacelles stowed in the holds.
As HLPFI previously reported, the integration of renewable energy sources at mine sites in Australia is increasingly providing work for heavy lift and multipurpose carriers. In addition to the Bellevue project, the Jundee and Kathleen Valley mines are developing hybrid facilities that combine wind and solar energy, gas-fired plants and battery storage systems. The largest such facility is located at the Tropicana Gold Mine, with a 116 MW hybrid plant.
