One of Australia’s newest gold projects, the off-grid Bellevue gold mine in Western Australia, says it is aiming to run at up to 90 per cent renewables on average, and has already achieved substantial periods with no fossil fuelled electricity.
The Bellevue mine – 40kms north west of Leinster – is host to one of Australia’s biggest off-grid hybrid systems, featuring 27 megawatts (MW) of solar, 24 MW of wind, and a 15 MW/33 MWh battery system that allows the diesel generators to be switched off.
In a presentation this week at the Diggers and Dealers conference in Kalgoorlie, more than 400 kms to the south, and at an earlier site tour, Bellevue Gold also said the mine will be the first gold mine in the world to achieve “net zero” emissions.
In fact, it said it had already achieved this target for its scope 1 and scope 2 emissions in 2024/25, through its renewable energy generation, and by offsetting fossil fuel use through the purchase of carbon assets, including savannah fire management technologies.
The company says the recent commissioning of its four 6 MW wind turbines by its energy contractor Zenith Energy enabled the mine to run 58 hours with 100% renewable energy achieved in the month of June alone.
“Bellevue Gold is forecasting annualised 80% – 90% renewable energy penetration now that all four wind turbines are operating,” it says in its presentation notes.
“Pending the mine’s power demand and seasonality of solar and wind, the mine is forecast for 89% renewable energy in FY26, therefore likely to be the most renewably powered mine in Australia (on-grid or off-grid).”
Most off-grid and remote mines are aiming for well above 50 per cent renewables – and some between 70 and 80 per cent – since the cost reduction in battery storage systems and the evolution of smart controls enabled lengthy periods where diesel generators could be switched off.
And while Bellevue Gold may be right in claiming to be the most renewable powered mine in Australia, it will likely be overshadowed by Fortescue Metals’ giant Pilbara iron ore mines if it can deliver on Andrew Forrests’s goal of reaching “real zero” by 2030.
The difference between net zero and real zero is that Fortescue intends to use no carbon credits, and burn no fossil fuels for electricity, mining operations or road transport. Fortescue has a $4 billion plan to roll out giant electric haul trucks and electric excavators and other equipment.
Interestingly, Bellevue Gold says its drive to net zero emissions and high renewables production is driven not just by costs, but by consumer demand.
“The jewellery market comprises about 40% of the world’s gold demand. Ethical buyers are now requesting sustainably mined gold,” it says, adding that Bellevue is working in partnership with ABC Refinery and Single Mine Origin (SMO) to sell gold to ethical buyers.
