Renewable energy applications in mining

Application: mining (lithium mine)

Country: Australia

Location: Mount Cattlin

Renewable Energy: Wind & Solar

Type: wind-solar-diesel-hybrid

RE-capacity: 110 kWp solar & 6.4 kW wind

Status: commissioned in 2011

Operated by: Galaxy Resources

Installer / EPC: Swan Energy

Inverters:

Hybrid-controllers:

Modules/turbines:

Comment: mine was closed in 2013; supported by Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)

Source: ABC

Application: mining (opal mine)

Country: Australia

Location: Coober Pedy, SA

Renewable Energy: Wind & Solar

Type: wind-solar-diesel-hybrid

RE- capacity: 2 MWp PV, 3 MW wind 

Status: completion is anticipated in mid-2017

Operated by: Energy Developments Limited (EDL)

Installer / EPC: Energy Developments Limited (EDL)

Inverters:

Modules/turbines:

Comment: Supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)

Source: ARENA

Application: mining (bauxite mine)

Country: Australia

Location: Weipa

Renewable Energy: PV

Type: PV-diesel-hybrid

RE-capacity: 1.7 MWp

Status: commsissioning planed for late 2014

Operated by: TAG / Ingenero / First Solar with 15 year PPA from Rio Tinto Alcan

Installer / EPC: TAG / Ingenero / First Solar

Inverters: SMA

Hybrid-controller: SMA

Modules: First Solar

Comment: retrofitted into complement existing diesel generation

Source: pv-magazine

Application: mining (chromium ore mine)

Country: South Africa

Location: North Western Bushveld Complex, Limpopo Province

Renewable energy: PV
Type: PV-diesel-hybrid

RE-capacity: 1 MWp

Status: Commissioned in 2012

Operated by: Cronimet Mining Power Solutions SA (Pty) Ltd.

Installer / EPC: Cronimet Mining Power Solutions SA (Pty) Ltd., formerly Solea Renewables (Pty) Ltd.

Inverters: SMA

Hybrid-controlllers: SMA

Modules: Jinko

Comment: PV-diesel hybrid solution achieves 60% PV penetration of the existing diesel genset mini-grid requiring no energy storage

Source: pv-magazine

Application: mining (gold mine)

Country: USA

Location: McCarran, NV

Renewable energy: PV

Type: auxiliary power

RE-capacity: 1.51 MWp

Commissioning: 2008

Operated by: Barrick Gold Corporation 

Installer / EPC: Stellar Energy

Inverters: Satcon

Modules: Sharp

Comment: built due to legislational requirements, delivers electricity to the mine's natural gas power plant

Source: Stellar Energy

Application: Mining (gold mine)

Country: Tanzania

Location: New Luika Gold Mine

Renewable Energy: PV

Type: PV-diesel-hybrid

RE-capacity: 63 kWp

Status: commissioned in 2014

Operated by: Shanta Gold 

Installer / EPC: Redavia Solar

Inverters:

Hybrid-controllers:

Modules/turbines:

Comment:

Source: Redavia Solar

Application: Mining (gas / LNG)

Country: Australia

Location: Combabula, Queensland

Renewable Energy: PV

Type: PV-diesel-hybrid

RE-capacity: 134 KWp

Status: commissioning expected in 2014

Operated by: Laing O’Rourke / Australia Pacific LNG

Installer / EPC: Laing O’Rourke

Inverters:

Hybrid-controllers:

Modules/turbines:

Comment: Redeployable hybrid power plant supported by ARENA; Australia Pacific LNG project is an incorporated joint venture project between Origin, ConocoPhillips and Sinopec that includes development of existing coal seam gas fields in the Surat and Bowen basins

Source: ARENA

Application: mining (nickel ore mine)

Country: Australia

Location: West Leinster

Renewable Energy: PV

Type: hybrid-pv-diesel-gas

RE-capacity: 300 kWp

Status: commissioned in 2013

Operated by: BHP Billiton

Installer / EPC: Solarchoice

Inverters:

Hybrid-controllers:

Modules/turbines:

Comment: Mine was closed in 2013

Source: Solarchoice

Application: Mining (copper mine)

Country: Chile

Location: Chuquicamata

Renewable Energy: PV

Type: off-grid

RE-capacity: 6.48 kWp

Status: commissioned 2014

Operated by:  Codelco

Installer / EPC: IM2

Inverters: Solarmax

Modules/turbines: Yingli

Comment:

Source: pv-magazine

Application: Mining (gold mine)

Country: Suriname

Location: District Brokpond

Renewable energy: PV

Type: on grid with PPA from mine

RE-capacity: 5 MWp

Status: construction started 2014

Operated by: Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. ( IAMGOLD Corp.)

Installer / EPC:  Renewable Energy Resources Corporation

Inverters: 

Modules:

Comment: on-grid, electicity to be consumed by mine

Source: The Daily Harald

Application: Mining (copper mine)

Country: Chile

Location: Sierra Gorda

Renewable Energy: Solar thermal

Type: process heat

Renewable energy capacity: 27.5 MW_th

Status: commissioned 2013

Operated by: Pampa Elvira Solar selling heat to Codelco

Installer / EPC: Energy Llaima SpA;  Sunmark A/S

Modules/turbines: Sunmark A/S

Comment: covers more than 80% of the heat used to refine copper

Source: Solarthermal World

Application: mining open pit (gold, copper, molybdenum)

Country: Chile

Location: El Tesoro

Renewable Energy: CSP

Type: process heat

RE- capacity: 10 MW

Status: commissioned 2012

Operated by: Minera El Tesoro

Installer / EPC: Abengoa

Inverters:

Modules/turbines: 1,280 PT-1 solar thermal collector modules

Comment:

Source: Abengoa Solar

Application: mining open pit (gold, copper, molybdenum)

Country: Chile

Location: El Tesoro

Renewable Energy: CPV

Type: local grid

RE-capacity: 64 kWp

Status: commissioned 2013

Operated by: Minera El Tesoro (MET) and Soitec Solar

Installer / EPC: Soitec Solar

Inverters:

Modules/turbines: Concentrix

Comment:

Source: pv-tech

Application: mining (open-cast mine)

Country: Chile

Location: Calama, Atacama Desert

Renewable energy: PV

Type: on-grid with PPA from mine

RE-capacity: 1 MWp

Status: commsissoned in 2012

Operated by: Solarpack

Installer / EPC: Solarpack with PPA from Codelco

Inverters:

Modules:

Comment: grid-connected, financed without subsidies

Source: Solarplaza

Application: mining (copper mine)

Country: Chile

Location: Javiera, Atacama Region

Renewable Energy: PV

Type: on-grid with PPA from mine

RE-capacity: 69.5 MWp

Status: planed for 2015

Operated by: SunEdison

Installer / EPC: SunEdision

Inverters:

Modules/turbines:

Comment: SunEdison delivers electricity to Los Pelambres Mine (Antofagasta Minerals) for 20 years. TerraForm Power, an owner and operator of solar power plants, intends to purchase the project after it becomes operational in 2015

Source: Energías renovables

Application: grid-connected, but mainly for mining (iron ore)

Country: Chile

Location: Copiapo, Atacama Desert, Amanacer power Plant

Renewable energy: PV

Type: on-grid with PPA from mine

RE-capacity: 100 MWp

Status: commissioned in 2014

Operated by: SunEdison with PPA from CAP Group

Installer / EPC: SunEdison

Inverters:

Modules:

Comment:  PV-plant is grid-connected with its own transmission line, covers 15% of the CAP Group's energy demand

Source: Opic

Application: mining (gold mine)

Country: Chile

Location: Andacollo

Renewable Energy: PV

Type: on-grid

RE-capacity: 1.26 MWp

Status: commissioned in 2013

Operated by: Solairedirect and Minera Dayton

Installer / EPC: Solairedirect

Inverters:

Modules/turbines: Jinko Solar

Comment: PPA at market price

Source: pv-magazine

Application: mining (iodine mine)

Country: Chile

Location: Aguas Blancas

Renewable Energy: PV

Type: on-grid

RE-capacity: 8.8 MWp

Status: commissioning expected for 2015; project delayed due to low iodine prices

Operated by: Etrion

Installer / EPC: Etrion

Inverters:

Modules/turbines:

Comment: PPA from Atacama Minerals, owned by Canada-based mining company Sirroco; mine to be sold

Source: pv-tech

Application: Mining

Country: Canada

Location: Kimberley, Sullivan Mine

Renewable Energy: PV

Type: on-grid

RE-capacity: initially 1 MWp

Status: commissioning planed for January 2015

Operated by: City of Kimberley

Installer / EPC: Conergy

Inverters:

Modules/turbines:

Comment:  PVpower plant on a reclaimed mine site owned by Teck Metals – the former industrial lands of the Sullivan Mine

Source: City of Kimberley

Application: Mining

Country: USA

Location: Questa, New Mexico

Renewable Energy: CPV

Type: on-grid

RE-capacity: 1 MWp

Status: commissioned in 2011

Operated by: Chevron

Installer / EPC:

Inverters:

Modules/turbines: Soitec

Comment: solar power on former mine waste disposal areas, no consumption of PV-electricity on mine

Source: Bloomberg

Application: Mining (molybdenum mine)

Country: South Africa

Location: Mafikeng, North West Province

Renewable Energy: PV

Type:

RE-capacity: 18 MWp

Status: planned

Operated by: Harmony Gold

Installer / EPC:

Inverters:

Modules/turbines:

Comment: Plans announced in 2012, no reports of progress

Source: Bloomberg

Application: mining (diamond mine)

Country: Canada

Location: Lac de Gras, Northwest Territories

Renewable Energy: Wind

Type: off-grid, wind-diesel-hybrid

RE-capacity: 9.2 MW

Status: commissioned in 2012

Operated by: Diavik Diamond Mines Inc.

Installer / EPC: ENERCON Canada Inc.

Inverters:

Hybrid-controllers:

Modules/turbines: Enercon

Comment:  2013, diesel-reduction by 3.8 million litres and provided 8.5 % of the mine's power needs; 2014 half year: 2.5 million litres diesel reduction and 10.3 % power; Diavik Diamond Mine: joint venture between Rio Tinto and Dominion Diamond Corporation; $31 million investment fully funded by Rio Tinto and Dominion Diamond; payback estimated at 8 years

Source: Wind Power Monthly and Canwea

Application: mining (gold mine)

Country: Argentina

Location: Veladero, San Juan

Renewable Energy: Wind

Type: off-grid, wind-diesel-hybrid

RE-capacity: 2 MW

Status: commissioned in 2008

Operated by: Minera Argentina Gold SA (MAGSA) of Barrick Gold Corp

Installer / EPC: Seawind (RAME Energy)

Inverters:

Hybrid-controllers:

Modules/turbines: DeWind

Comment:

Source: BNAmericas

Application: mining (zincgold mine)

Country: Chile

Location: El Toqui

Renewable Energy: Wind

Type: wind-hydro-diesel-hybrid

RE-capacity: 1.5 MW

Status: commissioned in 2011

Operated by: Seawind (RAME Energy) with PPA by Nyrstar

Installer / EPC: Vergnet

Inverters:

Hybrid-controllers:

Modules/turbines: Vergnet

Comment:

Source: ABB

Application: mining (nickel mine)

Country: Canada

Location:  Katinniq, Ungava Peninsula, Nunavik

Renewable Energy: Wind

Type: off-grid, wind-diesel-hybrid

RE-capacity: 3 MW

Status: wind power plant commissioned in 2014, storage planed for 2015

Operated by: Glencore Raglan

Installer / EPC: Tugliq Énergie / Enercon

Inverters:

Hybrid-controllers:

Modules/turbines: Enercon

Comment: wind turbine will replace about 5% of the mine’s diesel consumption. If the wind pilot goes well, Raglan will consider installing additional wind turbines that could generate a total of 9MW to 12MW of energy

Source: Engerati

Application: mining (copper mine)

Country: Chile

Location: El Arrayán, Región Metropolitana

Renewable Energy: Wind

Type: on-grid

RE-capacity: 115 MW

Status: commissioned in 2014

Operated by: Pattern Energy and Antofagasta Minerals

Installer / EPC: Pattern Energy / AEI Services LLC / Skanska Chile SA

Inverters:

Hybrid-controllers:

Modules/turbines: Siemens

Comment: 70% of the electricity for Los Pelambres copper mine,  El Arrayan will provide Los Pelambres with 20% of its energy needs

Source: Power Technology

Application: mining (iron ore mine)

Country: Mauritania

Location:  Nouadhibou

Renewable Energy: Wind

Type: on-grid

RE-capacity: 4.4 MW

Status: commissioned 2012

Operated by: SNIM 

Installer / EPC: Valorem, Vergnet

Inverters:

Modules/turbines: Vergnet

Comment: mainly for SNIM's iron ore mines

Source: France Diplomatie

Application: mining (copper and gold mine)

Country: Mongolia

Location: Oyu Tolgoi

Renewable Energy: Wind

Type: on-grid

RE-capacity: 102 MW

Status: targeted for Q1/2015

Operated by:

Installer / EPC: Qleantech

Inverters:

Modules/turbines:

Comment: investment backed by Happy Wind, a Swedish investment company; mine operated by Rio Tinto

Source: Nikkei Asian Review