To set up the microgrid at the Agnew Gold Mine, operated by Gold Fields for some 30 years, Cummins will be working together with the distributed energy producer EDL. The Cummins gas gensets will mostly drive the 23MW off-grid power station, while diesel can be used as a backup fuel. QSV91G generators can provide backup power at temperatures of up to 45°C, Cummins pointed out.
During the first 12 months of operation, the installed and dispatchable capacity at the Agnew microgrid will come to just over 56MW - enough to powering 11,500 homes, though all the energy produced will be used by the gold mine.
Stable operations at 45°C
To be able to keep running at temperatures up to 45°C, the Gold Fields chose to use nine Cummins QSV91G gas generators which can operate in high ambient conditions. The gas gensets can also provide high impact step loads and fast ramp rates while maintaining power quality.
In addition to the QSV91G gas gensets, Cummins also installed two QSK60 diesel generators that can provide the Agnew Gold Mine with additional power at times of peak demand. The diesel genset also have the ability to black start the entire power station in the event of an outage.
To balance electricity demand from the mine with the output of the power plant, a Cummins digital master control (DMC8000) was also installed.
Aspiring for 50% green energy
At the Agnew Gold Mine, one of nine mines operated by Gold Fields, the Australian company had for long been seeking to create an innovative hybrid renewable energy solution. The Agnew mine is in operation for over 30 years, producing approximately 220,000 oz of gold per annum.
To ensure this project was a success, Cummins collaborated with global distributed energy producer EDL, which was selected due to its track record in providing sustainable, reliable energy solutions for remote operations and communities.
David Eccleston, Technical Sales Support Lead, Cummins Power Generation, said: “We’re pleased to be working with EDL to deliver this landmark project, which will provide the Agnew Gold Mine with more than 50% renewable energy over the long term, without compromising power quality or reliability.”