In a pioneering achievement for the Australian mining industry, ResourcesWA and CrossBoundary Energy have successfully deployed Cambridge Energy’s NOMAD: the first and only prefabricated solar tracking technology in the world.
The solar project at Norton Gold Fields' Binduli Operations near Kalgoorlie is the country's first to use this innovative technology, marking a significant leap forward in Australia's renewable energy landscape.
The precision-engineered NOMAD sets a new standard for efficient, safe, and cost-effective solar.
Its simple, prefabricated design enabled the deployment of the 2.3MWp solar farm by a small local crew (with no prior experience installing this system) using minimal equipment.
Despite some rain delays, the deployment was completed on time, with a faster-than-expected installation rate of 1MW per week.
However, the advantages of the NOMAD system extend beyond rapid, low-labour deployment.
ResourcesWA and CrossBoundary Energy selected NOMAD for its ability to both accommodate challenging terrain and benefit a short-term mining operation.
“We needed an easily deployable solution adaptable to difficult geotechnical conditions, and NOMAD’s integration of solar tracking within a prefabricated design was a key advantage in delivering the most cost-effective solution. It not only increases the energy yield per dollar spent, but also the quick installation process and the flexibility to be reused on future projects ensured superior economic benefits," explained Andre Garnaut, director of ResourcesWA.
Designed to be installed where other technologies can’t, the system uses an innovative anchoring system that requires minimal site preparation, no large-scale drilling or pile driving, and no concrete – making it well-suited for the difficult conditions at Binduli.
Tom Miller, the Australian founder and CEO of Cambridge Energy, says this proved to be a major benefit for the project.
“One of the biggest and often most costly challenges for solar projects is not knowing what’s under the ground. Given the hard, compact soil and uneven subsurface conditions at Binduli, our cable anchoring solution provided a significant advantage and worked perfectly in those conditions," he said.
"The NOMAD’s simplicity, versatility, and wind rating allows it to be deployed in a wide range of conditions, and we now have firm proof of how the NOMAD outperforms other technologies in the region.”
The ability to easily disassemble and relocate NOMAD at the end of mining operations will also deliver significant economic and environmental benefits for the project, resulting in a reduction in closure costs and leaving no footprint.
The success of this pilot deployment demonstrates the potential of ultra-low cost solar here in Australia.
More information and enquiries regarding NOMAD can be directed to info@cambridge-energy.co.
