Page 11 - AfrElec Week 35 2021

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

Sungrow wins solar hybrid deal

at Egyptian mine

AFRICA CHINESE inverter supplier Sungrow is to sup- station.
ply equipment to Juwi Renewable Energy for Alvin Shi, managing director of Sungrow
a hybrid 36-MW off-grid solar farm and a 7.5- MENA region, said: “We would love to provide
MW battery energy storage system at the Sukari the best of environmental sustainability with
gold mine in Egypt. cutting-edge PV and storage portfolio as a piv-
The project will be the largest solar-plus-stor- otal player in the industry. The solar-plus-stor-
age plant at a mine site, which should facilitate age micro-grid solution is also an ideal solution
the energy transition for minerals in the Middle for regions with power outages or high power
East North Africa region. demand.”
The project at the Sukari gold mine operated The project is scheduled to be commissioned
by Centamin is located near the Red Sea, which in the first half of 2022. It will cut the mine’s diesel
means it faces the challenge of scorching heat consumption by about 20 to 22mn litres a year.
and high corrosion. This would offset between 53,000 and 60,000
Mining operations are keen to decarbonise tonnes per year (tpy) of CO2 emissions.
and use off-grid solar and storage technology to The solar-plus-storage installation will enable
meet their energy needs. Centamin to reduce its mine’s electricity bills as
Sungrow is to supply a 1,500V, 6.25-MW PV the operator will partially shift away from fuel
inverter solution with a highly integrated energy which is often volatile in price.
storage system with lithium iron phosphate Dave Manning, director Global Hybrid at
(LFP) batteries. Juwi, said: “This global flagship project high-
Smart forced air-cooling technology and a C5 lights significant benefits that African mines can
high anti-corrosion capacity will help it operate unlock with solar battery hybrid solutions.”
stably in the harsh conditions. The mining industry accounts for 10% of the
Juwi’s solar system uses a bifacial solar PV global energy consumption and many minerals
module and single-axis tracking system, which play a vital role for the energy transition.
should help it take advantage of the high irradi- Juwi has been working with mining clients
ance at the site. The solar and battery system will ever since its first utility-scale solar battery
be integrated into the existing off-grid network hybrid project at the DeGrussa Copper Mine and
and support the operation of the existing power then at Agnew Gold Mine, both in Australia.™

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