PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner BHP’s nickel division, Nickel West, is investigating other renewable energy sources to power its operations in Western Australia.

BHP in July announced that it would build two solar farms and a battery storage system to help power the Mt Keith and Leinster nickel operations, with the Northern Goldfields solar project to include a 27.4 MW solar farm at Mt Keith and a 10.7 MW solar farm and 10.1 MW battery at Leinster.

The solar project would displace power currently supplied by diesel and gas turbine generation, resulting in an estimated reduction of 540 000 t of carbon dioxide equivalent over the first ten years of operation.

Speaking at the Australian Nickel Conference, in Perth, Nickel West GM of Northern operations, NPI and exploration, Chris Stone said construction of the solar farm would start within the next three months, and would take some 14 months to complete.

“In addition to securing solar power Nickel West is actively looking at wind opportunities - we're looking at both in the southwest of the state, which would address our remaining electricity emissions at Kwinana and Kalgoorlie. And we're also looking with TransAlta to study a number of locations in the northern goldfields.

“We've identified several attractive locations. Our early estimations are that a 40 MW to 50 MW wind farm would reduce the northern operations' emissions by another 30%.”

Stone said that Nickel West has also embarked on an electric vehicle journey for its underground operations, and was working with vehicle manufacturer Toyota, for an electric four-wheel drive for the Cliffs underground mine, and had purchased a Normet electric wagon which would be delivered soon.

“These are two important steps in the right direction to reduce diesel emissions from underground for the safety of our people, as well as the environment,” Stone said.