Aggreko to build Australia’s off‑grid hybrid plant
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- Aggreko signed a 15‑year power purchase agreement with Harmony Gold for the Eva copper project in northwest Queensland, enabling the development of Australia’s largest off‑grid renewable hybrid power plant.
- The planned plant will combine a 118 MWp solar farm, a 250 MWh battery energy storage system, and a 104 MVA thermal generation unit to supply power to the AUD 2.4 billion open‑pit copper mine.
- Aggreko will own, build, and operate the hybrid facility, aiming for high renewable contribution, reduced fuel consumption, and lower emissions throughout the mine’s lifecycle.
- Liontown Resources partnered with Zenith Energy to deploy a 95 MW hybrid facility (17 MW solar, 30 MW wind, 17 MW/20 MWh battery, 27 MW gas, 5 MW diesel) at its Kathleen Valley lithium mine in Western Australia.
- Northern Star Resources plans a 530 MW hybrid plant (138 MW solar, 256 MW wind, 138 MW/300 MWh battery, 120 MW thermal) to power its gold mining operations near Kalgoorlie‑Boulder, which would surpass Aggreko’s project in size.
- George Whyte, Aggreko’s APAC Managing Director, called the Eva project a milestone that sets a new benchmark for off‑grid renewable integration in the mining sector.
Why it matters: The Eva hybrid plant gives Harmony Gold a resilient, low‑emission power supply for its $2.4 bn copper mine, cutting fuel use and emissions while showcasing a scalable model for other Australian miners. At the same time, the project underscores a sector‑wide shift toward renewable hybrids, potentially reducing demand for diesel‑fuel generators.
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