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The Bellevue Gold mine in Western Australia, a major underground operation that extracts high-grade ore, is proving that it’s already possible for such facilities to run entirely on wind and solar power, according to the company that owns and manages it.
The remote mine is phasing down its use of thermal plants — specifically gas and diesel generators — after installing four wind turbines with a combined generating capacity of 24MW. That’s in addition to 27MW of on-site solar and 15MW/29MWh of battery storage.
In the three months to end-September 2025, wind and solar met 86% of the mine’s electricity needs (in the month of September, renewables coverage averaged 91%).
On some days, the diesel and gas plants have been completely switched off, with wind and solar — backed by batteries — covering 100% of demand. The entire site recently ran entirely on renewables for a 101-hour period, “proving that operating on 100% renewable energy is possible,” the company says.
“The December 2025 quarter should see further benefit from higher contributions from the solar farm and wind farm, as we head into summer – which is not only the sunniest period, but also the windiest period of the year – this is expected to further reduce our use of diesel and LNG in the power station.”
To get closer to the 100% renewables mark on an annual basis, the company is considering alternative fuels such as renewable diesel, as well as long-duration energy storage and load flexibility (for instance, running non-critical operations only when there’s ample renewable energy available).
The mine’s clean energy credentials have allowed it to sell some gold at a premium to normal market rates amid growing demand from “ethical buyers” for sustainably sourced jewellery and bullion, the company says, adding that it’s also benefiting from lower operating costs.
Elsewhere in Australia, Liontown Resources’ Kathleen Valley lithium mine was 81% powered by wind and solar over the past year. The project includes 30MW of wind, 17MW of solar, and a 17MW/19MWh battery.
