While the mining industry has traditionally relied on electricity grids and on-site liquid fuel generators for its electricity needs, solar power is becoming more sustainable and affordable than before, says First Solar director of fuel replacement solutions John Eccles.

He notes that deploying sophisticated photovoltaic (PV) hybrid solutions that supplement existing power sources – such as the electricity grid or diesel generators – can help mining companies address daytime electricity supply challenges, while reducing costs and lowering environmental impact.

Remote mines that operate independently from the electrical grid and that are largely reliant on diesel generation to support power requirements, Eccles states, need to factor in the operating cost of diesel to power generators, which is subject to international price and currency exchange volatility. The logistical cost of transporting diesel to the site will also have to be added, as will the cost of investing in and maintaining the generators.

“There are numerous benefits from investing in such a system and unlike liquid fuels, sunlight is abundant, free and not subject to market or foreign exchange fluctuations,” he states, adding that from a cost point of view, this system could hypothetically save over 84-million litres of fuel over a 25-year period, reducing the total energy generation cost by as much as R1.07-billion over a project lifetime, compared with operating a diesel-only generation site.

In addition to these projected savings, the hybrid system could also reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by over 258 300 t.

While solar power is a variable resource, a hybrid combination of diesel and solar adds the stability and reliability necessary for a mining operation’s power needs. As well as enabling operational continuity, hybrid solutions also help to extend the operational life of the generators, reduce their operation and maintenance costs and reduce fuel supply logistical costs and risks. From an environmental perspective, they help reduce emissions, noise pollution and a mine’s overall carbon footprint.

“By entrusting their energy generation to First Solar – with over 8 GW of modules installed globally and over 3 GW contracted power plant pipeline – mining companies, such as Rio Tinto, are benefitting from a reliable, dependable and meaningful value proposition,” he notes.

With cost and operational efficiencies forming the backbone of the mining business, innovative hybrid system solutions can provide solar energy as an alternative source of fuel, reducing fuel consumption and variable costs with reliable and affordable solar electricity.

“Today, hybrid power generation solutions offers the mining industry the opportunity to take control of energy costs by leveraging solar electricity’s cost competitiveness to its advantage,” Eccles concludes.