Nidec Industrial Solutions, part of the Energy & Infrastructure division of the Nidec Group, has signed the contract for the installation of BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) at a mining site in South Africa. The project aims to improve the environmental performance of the gold mine by reducing CO2 emissions while increasing capacity and production output.
See also: The EU and Germany support coal phase-out in South Africa
In South Africa, the local power grid struggles to maintain electricity supply throughout the day, often causing energy-intensive industries or mines to turn to polluting generators to avoid high costs. Coupled with Nidec Industrial Solutions' BESS, the South African mining company is to set up a solar farm on the site and ensure continuous operation while reducing the carbon intensity of the electricity. The energy generated from the solar source will feed into the batteries as well as the mine's power supply.
BESS to ensure stable power supply for mining operations
The agreement, worth more than 50 million euros, provides for the installation of 43 converter blocks with batteries and power converters, with a total installed capacity of 40 megawatts and a storage capacity of 120 megawatt hours. With an estimated lifespan of 15 years, they are expected to meet the mine's average daily electricity demand and replace the diesel generators previously used. The converters for the BESS will be manufactured at Nidec Industrial Solutions' manufacturing facility in Milan, Italy. Final assembly of the system into the containers will take place at the Roche la Molière plant in France.
Also interesting: Extracting lithium as a by-product of geothermal energy
The energy stored in the batteries will ensure a stable power supply to the mine during power outages or load reductions. The project will enable the mine to save over 200 tonnes of CO2 per cycle of 120 megawatt hours. (mfo)
