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MInInG seRVIces

Zenith’s solar farm at the Nova
nickel mine. More companies
are looking at alternative
power generation options
as companies work towards
carbon neutrality over the
coming decades

Countdown to the available technologies that we can put
in place to achieve that outcome.”
As the only independent power producer
to be a member of the Electric Mines Con-
net zero sortium, Zenith is part of a working group
evaluating long-term mass storage technol-
ogies which can potentially be integrated to
mine sites in a bid to lower emissions.
ith an increasing number of miners and ers, Zenith Energy Ltd, is perhaps in the Da Cruz said while the industry was
Wdevelopers committed to achieving net unique position of being able to strike the likely still looking at potentially “three or four
zero emissions over the next three decades, right balance between ambition and ability generations” of fleet equipment before true
the focus is now pivoting towards how these to deliver given it is piloting specific tech- electrification of a mine could be achieved,
companies will meet such targets. nologies aimed at helping the company companies can realise immediate benefits
Most of the world’s mining giants have achieve its own zero emissions target of with simple modifications to existing power
pledged to cut all emissions by 2050, includ- 2035. stations.
ing the likes of Rio Tinto Ltd, BHP Ltd, Glen- Zenith executive manager – growth “In terms of percentage reductions, you
core, Newmont Corp and Vale SA. Others Dominic Da Cruz said the company had can have a 34-35% immediate reduction in
such as Anglo American plc and Fortescue adjusted its carbon neutrality timeline fol- the carbon footprint of a power station, which
Metals Group Ltd have been more ambitious lowing discussions with its customer base. accounts for a lot of the footprint, with the sim-
with their targets and are confident of attain- “We felt we needed to establish some- ple installation of solar and a battery,” he said.
ing carbon neutrality by 2040. what of a leadership position in the market “Hopefully very soon we’ll be able to an-
Leading gold producers Northern Star Re- to be seen as an enabler for our custom- nounce a demonstration of that, where we
sources Ltd and Evolution Mining Ltd are also will be able to provide uninterrupted renewa-
part of the net zero 2050 club, while developer ble-only power for a mine site for up to nine
Bellevue Gold Ltd has spruiked a “green pre- hours in a day through the use of just solar
mium” for the upcoming underground revival and battery.
of its namesake project in Western Australia. “A lot of the reservation in the industry re-
Some companies have flagged reach- volves around the ease with which they can
ing those targets even earlier than currently integrate things like wind and solar, and this
stated, raising concern from some as to how particular demonstration will provide the proof
prepared the industry is for the transition to that integration of offshore and wind to pro-
zero emissions. vide secure, reliable and safe supply of elec-
ASIC has already begun to caution some tricity is very achievable.”
IPO companies on their net zero state- Zenith is also looking to develop a modular
ments, a move welcomed by BDO global fleet of renewables which will allow for greater
head of natural resources Sherif Andrawes. energy penetration on site where long-term
“Net zero is kind of the buzzword, par- Dominic Da Cruz tenure is not possible.
ticularly after COP26, and it’s become very “Tenure is a massive issue for miners and
easy for a company to say they’re going to ers to achieve those targets,” Da Cruz told IPPs where you got a lot of capital deployed
be net zero by a certain date, but you really Paydirt. in infrastructure, but if the mine life is only for
can’t say these things without having some “Everything was all gearing towards a eight years and you need to recover capital,
substance behind it,” Andrawes said. more aggressive timeframe than 2050, and then it’s probably uneconomic and makes the
“ASIC are actually having a good strong so looking at the technologies available to cost of electricity just unpalatable,” Da Cruz
look at this and said any net zero comments us and the likely timing around those com- said.
or commitments in an IPO prospectus has ing to market and being commercial, we “We need to look at the ability to relocate
to be backed up. You can’t just say you’re felt that 2035 struck the right balance. It that infrastructure over its life, because the life
going to be net zero by 2030 and have a was something that we could work towards of these assets can be 20-30 years. Having
vague plan to do it. quite quickly and easily. the ability to reduce the cost to install, demo-
“It’s an easy thing to say but a much “We’re actually working on a greenfields bilise and redeploy renewable energy assets
harder thing to actually justify. In reality, it’s project at the moment which we think we is going to be a key factor in achieving higher
quite a long process to get to net zero and can take to a point by 2026 where it can levels of penetration across the sector.”
understanding all the issues around it and be zero without having to purchase offsets
how you’re going to get there.” to do that. It’s at the aggressive end of the – Michael Washbourne
One of Australia’s leading power produc- spectrum, but it’s also realistic in terms of

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