The mining industry is battling resource challenges and the risks associated with secure power supply, coupled with projected utility costs, are undoubtedly prohibitive to the industry’s profitability and growth, Cummins Africa power solutions director Kenneth Gaynor tells Mining Weekly.

As such, the technology manufacturer and service provider, which will take part in the Investing in African Mining Indaba, will highlight the importance of power generation on mines in Africa, and showcase its QSK95 engine series that won the Consulting-Specifying Engineer Product of the Year Award in 2015.

Cummins will also discuss the need for innovative value-adding projects that can supply reliable power, drive down costs per ton and simultaneously address sustainability objectives at the event, which will run from February 8 to 11 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Gaynor believes that the company is well positioned with its innovative product and solution capabilities to address mine productivity.

Cummins Africa mining segment leader Dave Rehse notes that key performance areas for mines are safety, operational uptime, cost management, growth and environmental responsibility, adding that electricity supply is integrated into all of them and that it is, therefore, worthwhile discussing power solutions that support operating scenarios such as energy efficiency, emergency power, security of power, demand management and carbon footprint-reduction initiatives.

Case studies on solutions developed and implemented internationally by Cummins’ power generation division for various applications will also be presented at the Mining Indaba. These solutions include diesel, natural gas and biogas, as well as hybrid power solutions, which are considered relevant to the mining industry.

Cummins aims to support mining operations that drive the African economy, employment and skills development through solutions that will ensure minimal production interruptions using the company’s emergency standby power systems, thereby maintaining safe mining operations during a power outage.

“We offer solutions for distributed power where our systems are used to reduce costs and save energy using prime or peaking power applications or cogeneration. Gas-to-power solutions, depending on the type of mine and fuel gas availability, can be configured to provide power supply solutions that contribute to reductions in cost and harmful emissions,” says Gaynor.

In offering these solutions, Cummins can ensure the creation of job opportunities, skills development and social responsibility projects in the communities where the mine sites are situated.

Cummins’ QSK95 engine series, launched onto the African market in early 2015, will be pitched at the Mining Indaba as a robust power generation solution that is suited to the harsh and challenging conditions associated with mining projects that demand reliable, continuous remote power supply. Its optimised life-cycle cost for prime power applications, owing to key performance characteristics such as fuel economy and the reduced frequency of maintenance, will also be discussed.

The QSK95 generator can deliver 3.5 MW, or 3.75 MVA, of power output and won the Product of the Year gold award in 2015, as voted for by readers of a trade publication.

Cummins also advocates the use of diesel-solar hybrid power systems in certain mining applications , highlighting that this solution offers diesel fuel abatement opportunities to reduce the cost per kilowatt hour. In this respect, the company will structure an integrated solution in conjunction with solar photovoltaic technology suppliers.

“Where available, natural-gas-fuelled power plants can produce reliable electricity at very cost-effective tariffs. The challenge lies in most mineral reserves in Africa being remote and natural gas pipelines not being available at the mine site. A viable solution can be virtual gas pipelines, where the natural gas is compressed and trucked to the operation,” says Gaynor.

Rehse notes that the Mining Indaba offers networking and information exchange opportunities, and enables recognised industry experts familiar with the latest developments to deliberate on specific topics.

The Indaba has become a learning environment that encourages delegates to exchange experiences, ideas, practices and technological innovations across the industry. Therefore, Gaynor adds, the event enables delegates who might be experiencing similar issues and problems to interact and address these issues together.

“Cummins looks forward to engaging with current and potential customers and other stakeholders to understand the challenges and power solution requirements of the mining sector.”