Aggreko and Harmony Gold have sealed a deal that paves the way to develop Australia’s largest off-grid renewable hybrid power facility at the Eva copper site in North-West Queensland.

Aggreko will build, own and operate the renewable hybrid power facility under the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), which has a minimum term of 15 years.

The energy and temperature solutions specialist said construction of the hybrid power facility was expected to generate regional employment opportunities and support local contracting, supply and service partners in the Cloncurry and Mount Isa region.

The Eva copper mine renewable hybrid power facility will include:

• 104 MVA thermal power facility with flexibility to scale
• 118 MWp solar farm
• 250 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

Aggreko said this combination would allow for high renewable contribution, reduced fuel consumption, and improved emissions performance across the mine’s lifecycle.

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“This is a milestone for Aggreko and Australian mining,” Aggreko AusPac managing director George Whyte said.

“The scale of this renewable hybrid power station and the level of integration between solar, battery storage and thermal generation set a new benchmark for off-grid energy.

“Our long-term agreement reflects Aggreko’s commitment to partnering with industry to deliver innovative, lower emission energy solutions that are both commercially and operationally robust.”

Aggreko and Harmony are also working collaboratively to further increase renewable energy distribution over time, including potential wind integration and future connection to transmission infrastructure.

Harmony gave the green light late last year for the $2.3 billion-plus Eva mine development, about 75km north-east of Cloncurry.

In the lead-up to that decision, the company identified finalising a long-term power solution as a key hurdle.

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Chief executive officer Beyers Nel said last year that grid power provided by the proposed CopperString 2032 transmission line project, connecting the North West Minerals Province to the national electricity market, was Harmony’s preferred power solution.

However, the issue of when the western end of that project will be developed is in doubt, with the State Government’s initial focus being its construction between Hughenden and the coast.

Constructing the Eva copper operation is expected to take up to 30 months, with first production targeted for the second half of the 2028 calendar year.

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