POWER: B2Gold chooses Cat and Barloworld for solar option in Namibia

NAMIBIA – Caterpillar today announced that B2Gold Corp. has selected Caterpillar and Cat dealer Barloworld to supply 7 MW of solar power at the Otjikoto mine in this African republic. [caption id="attachment_1003719777" align="alignleft" width="300"] B2Gold has cut power costs at its Otjikoto mine by adding a Caterpillar solar system similar to the one at Cat’s Arizona proving grounds.[/caption] The full system, including Cat photovoltaic (PV) solar modules and the Cat microgrid master controller (MMC), will be used to reduce reliance on a heavy fuel oil power plant currently used to power the mining facility.  Barloworld is supplying engineering, procurement and construction services for the project.  Installation of the system is underway, with the completion of the project expected in early 2018. “At B2Gold, we embrace environmental stewardship and social responsibility as key corporate priorities in doing business,” said Mark Dawe, managing director and country manager for B2Gold Namibia.  “As one of the largest solar installations in Namibia, the facility at the Otjikoto mine will help us to leverage a plentiful, renewable resource while improving the quality of life for nearby communities.” Caterpillar’s solar PV system is powered by advanced thin-film solar modules that are setting the industry benchmark with improved performance over conventional silicon solar panels. Fully scalable and pre-engineered for quick and easy installation, the system offers reliable and predictable energy in all climates and applications with modules that are independently tested to pass accelerated life and stress tests beyond industry standards. Caterpillar’s solar PV offering is a key component of the Cat Microgrid technology suite, an innovative lineup of power systems that adds environmentally friendly solar panels, state-of-the-art energy storage, and advanced monitoring and control systems to Caterpillar’s traditional line of reliable conventional generation equipment, switchgear and automatic transfer switches. A key differentiator in Caterpillar’s offering is the Cat MMC, which keeps loads continuously energized with high quality power at the lowest cost.  It manages the flow of power from every source in the system, including the main grid when connected.  The Cat MMC determines optimum recharge times for the energy storage systems while managing power during times when solar energy is not available. The MMC also uses Cat Connect technology for real-time collection and communication of on-site performance data that can be monitored and analyzed remotely. Caterpillar supplied the original 25 MW of power capacity to the Otjikoto mine when it opened in 2014 through four Cat 12CM32 heavy oil, medium speed engines and three Cat 3516B high speed generator sets. For more information, visit www.cat.com/powergeneration or e-mail cat_power@cat.com.