Newcrest Combined cycle PPS 2022

Newcrest Combined cycle PPS 2022 is an industrial energy efficiency project located at the Telfer Gold Mine in the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia. Situated approximately 400km east-southeast of Port Hedland and 300km northeast of Newman, the project operates within a remote mining lease utilized exclusively for resource extraction. Registered in April 2023, the project focuses on the Telfer Primary Power Station (PPS), upgrading electricity generation infrastructure to improve efficiency.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Industrial and Commercial Emissions Reduction) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology awards carbon credits for projects that reduce emissions from industrial or commercial operations, often through equipment upgrades, fuel switching, or energy efficiency improvements. Specifically, this project involves "waste heat capture and re-use," suggesting the conversion of open-cycle gas turbines to a combined-cycle system or the installation of heat recovery technology to generate additional electricity without increasing fuel consumption.

The environmental setting of the Telfer region is arid and hostile, characterized by the red sandy dunes and swales of the Great Sandy Desert. Rainfall is low and erratic, typical of a desert climate, while the soils are predominantly deep red sands and sandy loams.

An interesting note is that "PPS" in the project name stands for "Primary Power Station," a facility historically powered by gas turbines to supply the off-grid mine. The project proponent, Green Energy Trading Pty Ltd, is a well-known environmental commodities trader, acting as the service provider for the mine operator. While the project was registered under Newcrest Mining, the Telfer mine was acquired by Newmont Corporation later in 2023, meaning the asset is now part of Newmont's global portfolio.