AER to build solar, wind farm for GMA Garnet

Perth-based Advanced Energy Resources has won an $8 million contract to build and operate a three megawatt wind and solar farm to power GMA Garnet Group’s Port Gregory mine near Kalbarri.

AER is a subsidiary of Castelli Group, which was established by United Engineering co-founder Sam Castelli.

It will build, own and operate the wind and solar farm, which will supply an initial 70 per cent of the garnet mine’s electricity needs.

The renewable energy project, which will incorporate battery storage technology, is expected to be commissioned early in 2019.

The project was announced at the Energy and Mines Australia Summit in Perth this morning.

“We are proud to be partnering with GMA Garnet in this ground-breaking project which will credibly display how AER can reduce costs for large energy users while providing tangible benefits to regional electricity networks and fringe of grid areas,” AER managing director Luca Castelli said.

“We have proven through past projects that embedded renewable energy generation is cheaper than traditional fossil fuelled generation, and will play a key role in reducing both electricity costs and greenhouse gas emissions for WA industry.

“AER’s commitment to renewable energy is evident in our existing generation mix, and will be reinforced in coming months as we announce a number of new projects.”

GMA Garnet chief financial officer Grant Cox said price certainty was an important consideration for the business.

“AER’s experience and established track record in the renewable energy sector has given us comfort that AER’s wind and solar farm will be a truly practical way of reducing our input costs while also hedging against the ever increasing cost of electricity,” he said.

“We are proud to be moving our operation to have the lowest carbon emissions in the industry.”