ELKO, Nevada — The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations has selected Nevada Gold Mines (NGM) to receive up to $95 million for its solar project, titled “Decarbonizing Gold Mines in Nevada.” This project aims to integrate solar power and energy storage systems at NGM's Turquoise Ridge and Cortez mining operations in Humboldt and Lander counties, respectively.

The planned project includes 40 megawatts of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity and 100 megawatt-hours of battery storage at Turquoise Ridge, while Cortez will feature 60 megawatts of solar PV and 148 megawatt-hours of battery storage. This initiative is part of NGM’s commitment to reducing emissions and achieving net-zero operations by 2050.

By utilizing clean electricity generated onsite, the project will displace emissions from fossil fuels and purchased grid power, with an expected reduction of 2 million tons of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. The project also complements NGM’s ongoing renewable energy efforts, including the recent completion of the 200-megawatt TS Solar Power Plant, which generates 17% of NGM’s annual power demand.

Henri Gonin, NGM's managing director, emphasized the importance of the project, stating it will not only reduce emissions but also serve as a model for sustainable mining practices.

Phase one of the project began in November, with an initial award of $14.6 million. The project is expected to last around 16 months, with additional funding and project expansion to follow.