AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU,JSE:ANG)said on Monday (March 31) that with the completion of its Tropicana renewables project it has created the largest hybrid power system in Australia’s mining sector.
First introduced by AngloGold in June 2023, the renewables project is a partnership with Pacific Energy (ASX:PEA), which will integrate 61 megawatts of wind and solar generation capacity at the Tropicana development.
Tropicana is located in Western Australia roughly 1,000 kilometres east of Perth and is a joint venture between AngloGold and fellow gold producer Regis Resources (ASX:RRL,OTC Pink:RGRNF).
The former holds a 70 percent interest in the project, while the latter owns the remaining 30 percent.
The renewables project is expected to reduce the Tropicana development’s natural gas consumption by approximately 50 percent and decrease carbon emissions by an average of 65,000 tonnes annually over the next decade. The project was completed on time, as construction began toward the end of 2023 and was expected to finish during Q1 2025.
“This project will enable a significant reduction in emissions while reducing both diesel and natural gas consumption and improving our overall security of energy supply,” said AngloGold CEO Alberto Calderon.
The project’s energy capacity is equivalent to powering between 40,000 and 50,000 average Australian homes annually. AngloGold believes Tropicana enhances its net asset value, underlining its status as a valuable investment.
In the long run, the renewables initiative will play a crucial role in AngloGold’s 2030 decarbonisation goal, which calls for a 30 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions based on its 2021 carbon emissions baseline.
Outlining the project’s environmental impact in a fact sheet, AngloGold compares it to planting 33 million trees annually, removing 23,000 cars from the road each year or eliminating 2.8 million long-haul flights per year.
Additionally, the plant is expected to reduce the Tropicana operation’s diesel consumption by 5.6 million litres annually and cut natural gas usage by 1.1 million gigajoules per year.
Pacific Energy was responsible for designing and constructing the expansion. The company also owns and operates the hybrid renewables-natural gas power station under a 10 year power purchase agreement.
Combined, the thermal and renewable power systems will provide a total capacity of 115 megawatts.
Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.