Risen Energy has expanded its 10-year renewable power purchase agreement (PPA) for their Merredin Solar Farm from 20MW to 50MW of electricity to BHP's Nickel West operations.
Commencing on 1stAugust, the additional 30MW will be directed to BHP Nickel West's Kalgoorlie Smelter and reduce the smelters Scope 2 emissions by 30%. This follows the initial 20MW which will be directed to BHP Nickel West's Kwinana Refinery and will cover up to 50% of its electricity use with solar power generated by Risen Energy's Merredin Solar farm.
BHP Nickel West Asset President, Jessica Farrell said, "Increasing our offtake from 20 to 50 per cent from Risen's Merredin solar farm will enable us to reduce our emissions from electricity use at the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter by 30 per cent. This is another example of the steps we are taking to reduce emissions across our operations – 30 per cent by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Sustainable low carbon nickel is essential for our battery and electric vehicle customers."
Eric Lee, Risen Energy Australia's Managing Director, said, "We appreciate the trust BHP Nickel West has placed in us and Merredin Solar Farm and we are grateful for the opportunity to further provide clean energy for their operations. This collaboration demonstrates Risen's position as an industry-leading solar energy solutions provider and it is also a significant step for us as we work towards establishing more clean energy collaborations with reputable organisations committed to Australia's efforts to decarbonise".
Mr Lee added that Risen has a few projects in the pipeline and that the organisation is well on track to achieve their goal of being a leading developer in solar and battery energy storage solutions. As part of this goal and also their long-term goal of achieving '2GW' in Australia, Risen has been developing and improving their in-house expertise to respond to the evolving needs of the market and improvements in technology, especially in relation to hybrid solar and BESS projects.
About Merredin Solar Farm
The 132 MW Merredin Solar Farm is made up of 354,452 solar panels and is West Australia's largest completed solar farm. It has an output of 274GWh of electricity annually. This is enough green energy to power approximately 42,000 Western Australian homes.
About Risen Energy (Australia)
Risen Energy Australia has had an established presence in the Australian market since 2008, supplying solar PV panels for the retail market. Its long-term goal also includes the funding, construction and operation of commercial and utility-scale solar projects.
Risen Energy was founded in 1986 and is a leading China-based PV solutions provider that is traded as an A-share on China's Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The company has over 10,000 employees globally and are the sixth largest PV module supplier in the world.
Images of Merredin Solar Farm are available upon request.
