U.S. renewable services leader WTEC and its engineering affiliate, RERC, will undertake an engineering project for a solar power plant for Iamgold's Rosebel Gold Mine in Suriname, South America, reducing electricity costs in Iamgold's Suriname operations.
U.S. renewable services leaders Wind Turbine & Energy Cables Corp. (WTEC) and its engineering affiliate,RERC, will venture on a project to engineer and design a five-megawatt solar power plant for Iamgold's Rosebel Gold Mine in Suriname, South America.
The solar power plant will help to reduce electricity cost to the Rosebel Gold Mine, free up some of the country’s electricity capacity for other users, and comply with Suriname’s environmental commitment to the United Nations Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation(REDD) plus mechanism.
WTEC’s close collaboration with the Government of Suriname and experience in the energy and renewable sectors are a winning combination in reducing electricity costs in Iamgold’s Suriname operations.
Electricity is currently one of Rosebel Gold Mines’ top costs. WTEC is working closely with the Surinamese government to facilitate a rural electrification program within the country’s villages.
In May 2013, WTEC participated in a press conference in Suriname announcing that WTEC would be donating a fifteen-kilowatt product demonstration solar power system, complete with battery backup power. This system will supplement the current diesel generator‐system that runs only six hours each day using subsidized fuel.
Implementing the system to the village’s satisfaction could open the door to bringing around-theclock power to the more than two hundred villages in Suriname. WTEC is designing and manufacturing renewable energy micro‐grid systems for easy deployment in remote areas. To promote timely and successful installation,WTEC assembles in‐house most of the installation and electrical work that typically occurs out in the field. Furthermore, WTEC will provide the villagers comprehensive training to operate and maintain the plant.
Beyond providing an avenue to economic growth, WTEC’s energy solutions also address Suriname’s commitments under the REDD plus mechanism. While WTEC’s systems have an initial ecological footprint, they ultimately save many more thousands of hectares in habitats. For example, although one of WTEC’s projects in the United States required 1,000 trees’ removal in 2012, that same system had saved 96,709 trees from deforestation by 2013. WTEC is committed to helping ensure that Suriname retains its status as the greenest country in the world per capita while still responsibly maximizing land use.
The Rosebel solar power plant is expected to cost between US$12 million and US$14 million to build, including clearing access to the site and other preparatory work. It is expected to be operational by the beginning of the third quarter of 2014. Rosebel Gold Mine is one of six gold mines owned by Iamgold.