Renewables plus energy storage become cost-competitive at an off-grid mine in Mali

B2Gold, a Canadian public gold-mining company, operates a large gold mine in southwest Mali, Africa.

Seeking a clean energy solution to improve energy generation and energy security at the off-grid mine, including integration of existing energy assets (solar and engines), B2Gold chose a hybrid solution to reduce their fuel-dependence, cut carbon emissions and optimise mining operations at the Fekola Mine.

Who	B2GOLD
What	15.4MWh Energy storage and GEMS software
Where	Mali
How	EEQ with installation supervision

This is what we achieved

17.3MW

Optimised Energy Storage using GEMS Energy Management Software

3900 Tonnes

Reduction in Carbon Emissions per year

GEMS is basically the quarter-back of the team
Dennis Stansbury, Senior Vice-President of B2Gold

How we did it

Challenge

Optimise energy production at a fuel-dependent, energy-intensive operational mining facility in southwest Africa
Ensure grid stability and provide energy security to a remote mine where energy from the local grid is unavailable and/or unreliable
Integrate and optimise multiple renewable assets under a single portfolio

Solution

Complete asset optimisation via GEMS automated and forecasted data to enable energy production security and efficiency
An integrated hybrid energy solution, incorporating an energy storage system, an existing solar array, an existing power generator, and industry-leading energy management controls
Sustainable clean energy addition to the mine

Benefit

Reduced carbon emissions, fuel consumption and mining operational costs
Improved power reliability via storage energy generation capabilities
Short payback period ensuring the lowest LCOE

Questions? Contact us

The main details

Customer	B2Gold
Site Size	17.3 MW / 15.4 MWh
Site Location	Mali, Africa
Application	Microgrid control
Scope of Services	EEQ with installation supervision
Delivery	2020

Energy Transition Talks with Sushil Purohit

In this video, Sushil Purohit, President of Wärtsilä Energy, speaks to Dennis Stansbury, Senior Vice-President at B2Gold, about how their Fekola Gold Mine, in Mali, West Africa reduced their dependency on expensive fuel, lowered their carbon emissions and optimised their mining operations by using our energy storage and GEMS Digital Energy Platform.