ART Delivers Solar Monitoring Solution for Newmont

Overview

Newmont engaged ART to supply and install a Solar Monitoring Station (SMS) with a soiling sensor Dust IQ at Newmont’s Tanami mine in the Northern Territory.

This project was part of Newmont’s initiative to explore renewable energy options for a future solar farm that would help power the expansion of their mining operations. The deployment of a robust and reliable solar monitoring solution was critical to ensuring accurate data collection for long-term energy planning.

Challenges

The project encountered multiple logistical and environmental challenges. The site’s remote location and unexpected weather conditions caused significant delays and compressed the project’s timeline, making end-of-year deployment extremely tight.

Another key challenge was the need for effective protection of the SMS unit against local wildlife, particularly dingoes, while also ensuring proper anchoring to the ground in a region prone to extreme weather conditions.

Solution

ART took a proactive and adaptable approach to the challenges and designed a more efficient solution to shield the unit’s critical wiring as an alternative to a costly and time-intensive perimeter fence to protect the SMS from dingoes. This approach provided the necessary protection while maintaining cost-effectiveness and installation efficiency. Additionally, extensive anchoring testing and design were conducted to ensure the SMS remained secure against environmental forces.

Despite significant delays due to weather and mine shutdowns, ART remained committed to delivering the project and ensuring that the solar monitoring station was installed before the wet season. ART’s team worked within a tight schedule and adapted swiftly to site-specific challenges to achieve the desired outcome.

Outcome

By choosing ART’s innovative protection solution, Newmont was able to achieve a timely and cost-effective deployment of its SMS. ART’s problem-solving approach not only met client requirements but also demonstrated the ability to overcome unforeseen site-specific challenges with efficiency and ingenuity. Over time, the data collected by the SMS will provide critical insights to support Newmont’s transition to renewable energy for mine expansion, ultimately contributing to more sustainable mining operations.

Conclusion

ART’s successful delivery of the Newmont Tanami Solar Monitoring Station highlights the company’s expertise in renewable energy infrastructure deployment. Through innovative problem-solving, proactive project management and a commitment to meeting client objectives, ART demonstrated its ability to execute complex projects under challenging conditions.