Teck Resources officially announced its purchase of the SunMine solar energy facility from the City of Kimberley on Wednesday, making the purchase for about $2 million.
Located on the former Sullivan Mine site from Teck, the SunMine’s land was fully reclaimed and has been in operation since 2015. The 1.05 MW (megawatt) solar facility is British Columbia’s first grid-connected solar facility.
“Our involvement with SunMine is part of our commitment to taking action on climate change, advancing renewable energy development, and supporting the global transition to a low-carbon economy,” said Don Lindsay, President and CEO. “SunMine will help us gain firsthand experience with solar power generation as we advance the use of solar power at other operations.”
Purchasing the facility from the City of Kimberley for approximately $2 million, the amount is equal to Kimberley’s outstanding debt obligation to the SunMine.
From the beginning of the SunMine’s incorporation and construction, Teck has been involved, first providing the land and site infrastructure at the former Sullivan Mine site. Teck’s Sullivan Mine used to produce zinc, lead and silver, but closed in 2001 after close to 100 years of operation. The 1,100 hectares of forming mining area has since been reclaimed and was used to house the SunMine facility.
Teck claims that they have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 289,000 tonnes since 2011, and that the purchase of the SunMine will further help their development of renewable energy. Teck said the 289,000 tonnes is the equivalent to 88,000 combustion engine cars.
More: Kimberley SunMine (City of Kimberley, SunMine)
