The Western Australian Government has awarded $2.6 million in funding to two Goldfields-based energy projects under the first round of its $19 million Clean Energy Future Fund.
Nomadic Energy – a Perth-based provider of hybrid power solutions – has been awarded $1 million to install 5 megawatts (MW) of modular, re-deployable solar panels at Saracen’s Carosue Dam gold mine.
The flexibility to redeploy the solar panels removes a key barrier to using green energy at mine sites, where a mine may cease operating before the cost of the solar panels has been recovered.
Another Perth-based company, ResourcesWA, secured $1.6 million in funding to install 30MW of solar power at the Homestead mine site in the Goldfields, supplying power to the Paddington Mill and Mungari Mill sites and batteries at each of the mills (10MW and 5MW respectively, each with one hour’s storage).
The project will reduce the impact of outages and support Western Power’s local substation.
Environment Minister Stephen Dawson said the two projects will create more than 365 construction jobs and 22 ongoing jobs.
“Nomadic Energy and ResourceWA were chosen for the high value they provide, their capacity to reduce emissions, potential for wider adoption, innovation and financial viability,” the Minister noted.
“These benefits will only increase further as these technologies are more widely adopted, and will also grow exponentially as the fund continues to support new, innovative clean energy projects.”
Energy Minister Bill Johnston said applications for round two of the Clean Energy Future Fund will open on Monday January 25, with a total of up to $16 million available in the fund.
He said Round 2 will prioritise clean energy projects that reduce emissions, improve security and reliability of supply, or support the replacement of diesel use, as well as projects that support decarbonisation of existing industry, develop new low carbon industries or enhance energy efficiency in manufacturing or the built environment.
“The McGowan Government’s Clean Energy Future Fund is evidence of its commitment to supporting innovative, new technologies and opportunities for Western Australia,” Mr Johnston continued.
“Not only does the fund assist in developing clean energy projects, it has helped create jobs, which is increasingly important for our State’s economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With over 385 construction and operational jobs expected to be created during the life of the two projects, it’s clear that clean energy industries are an important source of future employment opportunities, particularly in regional WA.”
