Bellevue Gold Mine Achieves 93.8% Renewable Energy Share in February
The off-grid Bellevue gold mine, located in a remote area of Western Australia, has made a remarkable achievement by attaining a renewable energy milestone, with an impressive 93.8 per cent sourced from wind and solar during February.
This achievement follows notable renewable performances at two other off-grid mining sites, Mt Weld and Kathleen Valley, both of which are backed by Gina Rinehart, Australia’s wealthiest individual and a prominent critic of renewable energy initiatives.
Industry First with Net Zero Emissions
Bellevue Gold has already made history by reaching “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions in the previous financial year, largely due to its substantial renewable energy intake, alongside initiatives to offset transport emissions. The company intends to further reduce these emissions with the future introduction of electric vehicles.
According to its latest quarterly report, Bellevue Gold’s 90 megawatt (MW) hybrid power plant recorded an average renewable energy share from wind and solar of 85.2 per cent in the March quarter, which includes the remarkable 93.8% figure from February.
“Following this strong performance, Bellevue is on track to meet the upper end of the predicted 80-90% renewable energy for FY26,” the company stated in its report.
Reduced Costs and Increased Resilience
In addition to lowering emissions, Bellevue Gold’s substantial use of renewable energy has reduced its vulnerability to fluctuations in diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices, whilst also providing added robustness against possible supply chain disruptions.
Currently, diesel accounts for only 1.3 per cent of Bellevue’s operational costs, one of the lowest proportions in the mining sector, where averages tend to be around 15 per cent, and can be higher amid rising costs stemming from the Middle East crisis.
“Our effective renewable power generation strategy has significantly insulated us from volatile diesel prices,” remarked managing director Darren Stralow.
Advanced Off-Grid Power System
Delivered by Zenith Energy, Bellevue’s off-grid power system includes four wind turbines with a total capacity of 24 MW, a 27 MW solar farm, and a battery energy storage system (BESS) rated at 15 MW/33-megawatt-hours (MWh), in addition to 24 MW of thermal generation.
In comparison, Liontown Resources at Kathleen Valley, also powered by Zenith Energy, operates a system comprising 30 MW of wind capacity, 17 MW of solar energy, and a 17 MW, 19 MWh battery, achieving an 80 per cent renewable share in the first quarter.
However, both Bellevue and Kathleen Valley’s performances were outstripped by Mt Weld, owned by Lynas Rare Earths, showcasing an impressive 95.7 per cent share of renewables over the March quarter. This achievement surpassed the expected 70 per cent projected after the launch of their new hybrid facility, which integrates 7 MW of solar, 24 MW of wind from four new turbines, and a 12 MW/12 MWh battery, also delivered by Zenith Energy.
