Who we are

About us

History

Our values

Innovation & leadership

Management team

Board of Directors

What we do

build-own-operate

Microgrids

Energy Sources

ESG

Health, Safety and Wellbeing

Positive Indigenous, Stakeholder and Customer Relationships

Diversity, Inclusion and Equity

Business Ethics

Decarbonisation

Case studies

Resources

News

Downloads

Careers

Employee Spotlight

Get in touch
Who we are

About us

History

Our values

Innovation & leadership

Management team

Board of Directors

What we do

build-own-operate

Microgrids

Energy Sources

ESG

Net Zero

Safety and health

Communities

Diversity

Racial Equality

Case studies

Resources

News

Careers

Employee Spotlight

Get in touch

Home

News

Zenith Energy Acquires Peel Renewable Energy

Blogs, ESG, In the News, News, Project Announcements & Updates

Zenith Energy Acquires Peel Renewable Energy

Zenith Energy is proud to confirm it has acquired its first non-resources asset in Peel Renewable Energy, taking ownership of WA’s first renewable industrial microgrid.

September 05, 2022



The unique deal sees Zenith take on responsibility for the Peel Renewable Microgrid, a vertically integrated generation, distribution, and retail business, supplying power to the Peel Business Park, a new industrial estate south of Perth being developed by DevelopmentWA, Western Australia’s State Government land developer.

The acquisition will see Zenith take ownership and operational control of the Peel Renewable Microgrid, including the 22kv electricity distribution network, the current 1.2MW solar array and 2.5MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) as well as the smart grid connection to the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).

The onsite renewable generation and battery storage assets are expected to grow to upwards of 50MW over the next decade, matching the growth in the development area and customer numbers at the Peel Business Park.

The acquisition is the first step in our diversification strategy, and positions the company at the forefront of Australia’s energy transition.

Furthermore, Peel Renewable Energy represents an exciting opportunity to enter the urban microgrid segment in WA and leverages our knowledge of islanded generation infrastructure.

Given our extensive expertise in hybrid behind the meter generation and distribution, including in remote areas, the acquisition of the Peel Renewable Energy business aligns perfectly with our overall strategy and skillset, while also providing opportunity for growth and expansion.

It also continues to demonstrate Zenith’s commitment to increasing the proportion of renewable generation in our portfolio.

The expansion of the Peel Renewable Microgrid in coming years, and the ability to leverage this platform to establish similar new projects offers attractive growth opportunities within Zenith’s portfolio, which will be supported by staff at Peel Renewable Energy.

Management at Peel Renewable Energy will become part of the Zenith team, supporting development at the Peel Business Park and assisting in boosting operational capability and growth of the Peel Renewable Microgrid – the deal is an exciting opportunity for everyone involved.

Existing arrangements between Peel Renewable Energy and DevelopmentWA will continue, including the long-term contract to provide electrical infrastructure and renewable energy supply and services to customers in the Peel Business Park.

Read Asian Power’s article here

Share this article

Home

News

How an Investment in People is Helping to Deal with Key Challenges in the Industry

Blogs, ESG, In the News, News, Project Announcements & Updates

How an Investment in People is Helping to Deal with Key Challenges in the Industry

As the mining and resources industry – and others – continue to deal with Australia’s tight labour market, supply chain congestion and global uncertainty, we at Zenith Energy believe our ability to tackle these issues head on is the result of having the right people within our team, and a strong workplace culture.

August 16, 2022

As the mining and resources industry – and others – continue to deal with Australia’s tight labour market, supply chain congestion and global uncertainty, we at Zenith Energy believe our ability to tackle these issues head on is the result of having the right people within our team, and a strong workplace culture.

While supplying power to remote mine sites is a challenge in and of itself, the last two years has added pressure in other areas.

Recruitment has been our biggest issue of the past 24 months, and while I believe we’re through the worst of it now that Western Australia’s border has reopened, it’s still a very tight labour market.

Added to that is supply chain congestion and general global uncertainty, which is pushing up prices in many areas, and you can understand the difficulties we’re facing as a company.

However, we’re getting through it because at the heart of company is good, experienced people, and we strongly believe in the value of communication.

Zenith Energy has worked hard to build a strong workplace culture over the past 15 years, and it’s paying dividends.

Knowledge and accountability are among our core values, and we’re seeing this play out in what has been a challenging couple of years.

For example, where supply chain congestion has pushed back arrival times for vital infrastructure, we know we have the right people in place to demonstrate to clients that we are experienced at developing innovative solutions, and we can communicate those solutions effectively.

We invite our clients into our wheelhouse so they can see what we do, and how we do it. And that’s working well for us.

Our commitment to communication is also assisting in dealing with other key issues;

  • Recruitment: With WA’s unemployment rate sitting at 3.4% in June, and the national rate at 3.5%, recruitment is likely to be tough for a while longer. However, Zenith is also looking at employee incentives beyond money, offering training, upskilling and growth opportunities. This in turn creates longevity and loyalty among staff, further boosting the company culture.

  • Global Uncertainty: Aside from pushing up the cost of doing business, global uncertainty is also impacting commodity prices. The value of open, two-way communication between Zenith and our clients is essential to ensure we’re on the same page moving forward, and no one is surprised by sudden changes.

The rise in global fuel prices is also impacting the industry, and while Zenith is insulated somewhat by not supplying fuel in most instances, it’s resulting in some companies taking a fresh look at renewables.

While renewables can be seen as an expensive capital investment, the soaring cost of oil, diesel and gas means renewable power generation becomes a more attractive longer-term investment.

We’re also seeing technology advances making installation of renewables more cost-effective and time efficient compared to even a few years ago, which makes it more attractive again.

An emerging challenge we’re anticipating in coming years will be addressing the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) expectations of clients, especially in the context of meeting our own 2035 target for Net Zero.

But, the great thing about that challenge, is that once again we know we have the right people in place.

There are still many paths to travel, but we’re in a good spot as we have a lot of really smart people to take on that responsibility, and showcase their knowledge and experience. I’m confident we have some exciting times coming.

Share this article

Home

News and Blog

Industry First 100% Renewable Energy Generation to go ahead on WA Mine

Blogs, ESG, In the News, News, Project Announcements & Updates

Industry First 100% Renewable Energy Generation to go ahead on WA Mine

Zenith Energy is proud to build on our partnership with IGO – to begin powering the Nova mine-site 100% with renewable energy continuously for up to nine hours – in what will be an industry first.

January 21, 2022

Zenith currently own and operate a hybrid power station at the Nova nickel site in the WA Goldfields and will now expand the renewable generation to successfully operate ‘engine off’ for up to nine consecutive hours a day.

The site is currently powered through a combination of solar and diesel engine generation. By adding an additional 10MW of solar panels, and a 10MWh Battery Energy Storage System the system expansion will allow for 100 percent renewable power generation during daylight hours, weather conditions withstanding.

It’s an important next step on the journey to Net Zero and will set a new industry benchmark in terms of continuous operation of a mine site exclusively on renewable energy, and the integration of renewable energy into a mine site’s power system.

This project sends a strong message to the industry that powering an entire site completely on renewables is possible today.

Here at Zenith, we’re taking on the responsibility of not only developing the concepts to advance renewable solutions, but also piloting and proving the integration of technologies needed.

The Nova project will require us to integrate specific technology into the power system to provide inertia and stability, ensuring a continuous, reliable supply of power.

It will demonstrate a number of key points;

  • ‘Engine Off’ is Achievable: While there are currently non-industrial micro-grids operating on 100% renewables, the Nova project will prove it’s possible to use 100% renewables to meet the demands of an operational mine site. It will also prove the ability for sites to go ‘engine off’ for consecutive hours, without interruption to supply.

  • Battery Technology: The integrated Battery Energy Storage System is a key component of achieving ‘engine off’, storing sufficient power to ensure supply and reliability of the system is not compromised.

  • Relocatable Renewables: Once tenure at Nova ends, the solar panels and battery on site will be relocated to another site in what will be the first practical demonstration at scale of relocatable renewable energy. Proving this will assist in reducing barriers to capital expenditure, as renewable assets are used in multiple locations over their life span. It will also fast-track deployment of solar and further emission reductions across Zenith’s legacy portfolio.

  • Reducing Emissions is Realistic and Achievable on Existing Sites: The Nova project will highlight that 100% renewable energy penetration can be sustainably achieved and replicated on other sites across Australia now, without having to wait for further advancements in technology. For sites where renewables are already part of the power generation system, where land permits increasing renewable assets to go engine-off is a natural next step on the pathway to net zero.

While the Nova site will continue to rely on diesel generated power overnight and during inclement weather conditions, this project is a key next step on the journey to 100% renewable power generation 24 hours a day.

Zenith is already looking at what subsequent steps are needed to achieve this ultimate goal, including how we facilitate higher levels of renewable penetration, and integration of long duration storage.

It’s an exciting time not just for Zenith as a company, but for the entire industry. We’re making real progress in the decarbonization space and what that might look like for the sector moving forward.

Share this article

Home

News and Blog

Testing of New Technologies A Crucial Step to Net Zero

Blogs, ESG, In the News, News

Testing of New Technologies A Crucial Step to Net Zero

As global conversations continue to focus on reducing emissions, we at Zenith Energy are increasing our commitment to the testing of emerging technologies within the mining and resources industry, in yet another step toward Net Zero.

December 01, 2021

We have set a target of zero emissions by 2035, confident it strikes the right balance between ambition and ability, and allows ample time for vital technological advancements to be made.

However, it’s not enough to simply set a target if we don’t know how it will be achieved, and so we’re willing to develop the concepts needed to advance renewable solutions and take on the burden of testing the technology.

Rather than wait and see, we want to be part of the solution.

Currently, 100% renewable power generation is expensive, but in developing the technology and proving it works, we can increase demand and start producing economies of scale. Taking that risk is the only way to reduce cost for ourselves and our customers.

Zenith is focusing on the development of four specific technologies, which can be integrated in different ways to reduce emissions on site;

  • Bulk solar and wind: While WA has an abundance of solar and wind, more work is needed to allow sites to become ‘engine off’ and operate solely on renewable generated power during daylight hours. A key component will be the integration of technology into power systems which will ensure continuous reliable supply of power. The ‘engine off’ concept will also require the installation of adequate solar and wind to generate enough power that can be stored to maintain continuous supply for up to nine consecutive hours.

  • Long Term Mass Storage: Long duration storage remains one of the biggest challenges to decarbonisation, with batteries needing to be able to store enough power and meet the demands of a constant charge/discharge cycle. We are the only independent power producer to be a member of the Electric Mines Consortium, and as such are part of a working group evaluating multiple storage technologies.

  • Relocatable fleet of renewables: The development of a relocatable, modular fleet of renewables will allow for greater renewable energy penetration on sites where long-term tenure of 10+ years isn’t possible. Such a fleet must be large enough to meet power generation demands, yet also be able to be relocated at the end of mine operations.

  • Green-fuels: Various green fuels are being pursued to replace diesel within power stations and for fleets. There are currently challenges around security of supply and cost. It’s for this reason we’re proactively looking to develop a waste to energy plant in WA mining hubs, generating green fuel through mining waste including tyres and plastic.

Another important step is the electrification of mining operations, and we’re currently considering solutions around what the charging infrastructure will look like.

A crucial step in making renewable technologies more affordable is proving they’re effective, as once that happens we can start producing at scale which brings the price down. But, the process of proving the technology is also expensive and carries risk.

While the aim of developing the technology is to decarbonise our current and future portfolio, there are also potential benefits for households.

As various technologies are proven to be successful, the residential grid will also likely adopt them. This greening of the grid will reduce the overall reliance on gas and coal-fired power stations into the future.

Share this article

Home

News and Blog

Unique Power Contracts a Crucial Step Forward to Net Zero in the Mining and Resources Sector

Blogs, ESG, In the News, News

Unique Power Contracts a Crucial Step Forward to Net Zero in the Mining and Resources Sector

As discussions continue about the need to reduce emissions within the economy, we at Zenith Energy are taking steps to support the mining and resources sector and demonstrate our commitment to achieving Net Zero, with the introduction of unique power agreements.

November 16, 2021

While the focus more broadly has been on 2050 as the milestone date, we’ve committed to reaching Net Zero much sooner, by 2035, as we believe it presents the right balance of ambition and reality.

Our Power Purchase Agreements, or PPAs, are a key part of that journey, enabling clients to adopt greener, cleaner technologies as they emerge whilst also remaining commercially competitive.

We’re committed to substituting higher emission power generation technologies with renewable energy technologies, at the lowest levelised cost of energy.

As a company, we believe the flexibility and transparency within our PPAs allow clients to move forward with us on the transition to 100% renewable energy.

It’s a result of our commitment to making a change, through the piloting of various greener technologies required for Net Zero and initiating the transition to these, rather than passing it on to others.

The PPAs are an acknowledgment there’s still some way to go before net zero is reached, but our clients won’t be left behind if they sign on now.

Our PPAs guarantee to our clients that as new technology emerges, we will displace technology already in place on site. We’re also providing guarantees around the levelised cost of energy, so clients won’t be locked into higher costs as markets change in the future.

The mining sector is increasingly moving away from fossil-fuels, however it’s clear that challenges remain in terms of storing renewable energy, and the supply of green-fuels to provide dispatchable generation when instantaneous or stored wind and solar energy aren’t available.

Once again, our PPAs are an acknowledgment of those challenges.

We know we don’t yet have all the answers, however our PPAs are now providing the framework for the sector to achieve its Net Zero targets.

Zenith is committed to being part of the solution, and that also involves us collaborating with leading miners to develop storage technologies for the electrification of mines, as well as deploying a fleet of relocatable renewables to assist with decarbonising both future and existing sites.

We would like to be able to say that we can take our clients to net zero by 2035, with a clear roadmap and a clear set of technologies that we’ve tested and proven and are able to deploy and uniquely integrate.

What our agreements do is enable lowest cost of power, and lowest emissions for that power, for the entire tenure of the agreement.

We’re also aware clients have concerns that might deter them from signing on to a long-term contract, and we’re actively addressing these;

  • Technology Redundancy: Clients can be assured that as technology continues to develop, Zenith will remain at the forefront of implementing new technology as it emerges.

  • Future Cost Effectiveness: Clients won’t be locked into a set power price for the entire tenure. As technology becomes more economical and drives down prices, those benefits will be passed on to the client.

  • Not Having a Clear Sustainability Plan: Zenith Energy can provide clients a roadmap for their journey to net zero, with the PPAs to outline the roadmap and milestones along the way. Clients don’t have to wait for the perfect renewable technology to obtain reliable, affordable power that reduces their emissions, they can start now and still benefit from future advancements as they occur with Zenith.

Another critical challenge is the storage of renewable generated energy, and we at Zenith are involved in a number of pilot projects to test and develop long-term mass energy storage solutions.

We’re actively working with Original Equipment Manufacturers to develop the technology, so that we also have the expertise in-house to integrate it.

We don’t want to wait and see, we are figuring it out so that we can take our clients on that journey with us.

Share this article