Finland-based technology group Wartsila will decarbonise a gold mine in Suriname by supplying a 7.8-megawatt energy storage system to help it reach sustainability goals.

The company said the energy storage system would be the first to be built in Suriname and its first such project in the country.

The energy storage system will improve efficiency at the gold mine's power station by cutting the need for emergency backup spinning reserves and lowering fuel consumption.

It will include the GridSolv Quantum, which Wartsila described as "a fully integrated, modular and compact energy storage system," and the GEMS Digital Energy Platform, the company's advanced management system.

GEMS can "control and optimise" the existing generating sets' portfolio and the new energy storage system.

Additionally, GEMS can "evaluate opportunities to integrate renewable energy assets" to "further decarbonise mining operations."

Wartsila predicted that the energy storage system would cut the mine's emissions by 5,600 metric tonnes of carbon annually and lead to "improvements across the lifetime" of engines.

Marc Tarbox, general manager, contract and agreements, Americas, at Wartsila Energy, said GEMS can allow customers to "easily integrate new resources and intelligently optimise the dispatch of all power assets within a hybrid system."

The name of the mine and mine owner was not disclosed. Energy storage has become an increasingly important area of development for mining companies due to the need to cut carbon emissions and lower the burden on the environment and value chain.