Thermal Solar Heating Potential in Mining: Flemming Jorgensen

Q: What kind of projects has your company been working on recently, and why is the mining industry a key focus for you?

A: We had the fortune to deliver a very successful project for Grupo México. Our work is mainly focused on the mining industry. Our niche in the market is large-scale solar heating plants, and the mining industry has a substantial demand for heat. Industrial processes in general, and copper mining in particular, require a lot of heat, and they typically have the space to install large solar panel fields on the ground, close to where the heat is needed.

So, our specialty is building large-scale solar thermal plants. In 2022–2023, we completed a project for the La Caridad mine, owned by Grupo México in Sonora. The installation includes around 910m2 of solar collectors, and it has been a very successful project for us. 

Selling a project is one thing, but having it be a success is another. Our client has been very happy with the installation. It has significantly reduced emissions and cut heating costs. I always say that we all want to be green, but it is much more rewarding if you can also save a lot of money doing it.

Q: How do you approach building trust with clients and managing technical integration in solar thermal projects?

A: First of all, you need to gain the client’s trust. What we sell is essentially an add-on to the client’s core infrastructure. Our clients are not experts in heating systems; they need us to be the experts. That is why I believe it is important to go to the client and say, "We will take care of everything." 

We offer turnkey projects. In one project, we had to convert the entire heating infrastructure from steam to hot water. We were able to complete it successfully and integrate it to the client's existing control systems. We took care of everything from start to finish.

Once the plant is installed, we can also sign a service contract. It is like owning a car, you need to take it in for service occasionally. For the client, the plant usually runs with almost no issues. Of course, there are sometimes small problems, but our job is to solve them quickly. We also have remote access to the plants from our office, so we can provide support whenever needed.

Q: Can you walk us through what was required to complete a project like La Caridad, and how your past experiences influenced your approach?

A: For the La Caridad project, what we received from Savosolar was all the materials needed for the solar field itself. But that is just one part of the full setup. You also need a technical room with pumps, heat exchangers, valves, and a control system. In addition, you need a large thermal storage tank to store the heat.

So, while Savosolar provided the solar field components, we took care of everything else. I even developed our own control system, which we programmed in-house. This was based on my past experience. I used to represent a Danish company that was a competitor to Savosolar, but that no longer exists. We built a large installation for Peñoles back in 2016, and that system is still the largest solar heating plant in North America, not just Mexico.

However, I realized that the user interface of that system was too complex. In Europe, large-scale solar heating is mostly used in district heating systems, where there are few employees and heating is the core product. In mines, heating is just auxiliary infrastructure, and there are far more people involved. So, the interface needs to be much simpler and in Spanish. That is why I developed my own solar control system.

A lot of industrial companies want to reduce emissions, but in my experience, the projects that get done are the ones that are profitable. Few people pay extra just to emit less, and with current technology, many green solutions are already the cheapest option.

Q: Why is the mining industry particularly well suited for your solar thermal projects, compared to other industrial sectors?

A: When you build a mine, you do not get to choose its location, it is wherever the mineral is. As a result, many mines do not have access to cheap energy, which in Mexico typically means natural gas. If I go to companies like Grupo Modelo, Heineken, or Lala, they all have access to natural gas. I could offer them a project that is profitable, but the payback period would be much longer.

That is why mining projects are so attractive, they are much more profitable from the start, which makes them easier to sell. Of course, natural gas prices matter, but there is also a broader issue in society: conformity. The problem with humanity is that people tend to just follow what others do. That slows down the green transition, which is a shame, because we do not need all this pollution. 

I have been fortunate to find clients who want to make the transition. I am not Mexican, but after living here for 15 years, I feel a bit Mexican. The projects I do reduce Mexico’s fuel imports, so why not produce energy locally? It is cheaper, especially with the types of projects we do. It is better for the environment, and businesses become more profitable.

That said, when it comes to solar thermal, one limitation is space. For example, if we went to Modelo, we would not find 20,000m2 of free space to install solar panels. Then we would have to go up on the roof, which increases the cost.

Q: What are your goals moving forward, and how do you plan to build on your experience with large-scale solar thermal projects?

A: What we want now is to sell more large-scale projects. That is our focus. Our clients want us to take care of everything. So in some upcoming projects, we are doing more than we have done in the past, like adding backup systems or installing additional heat exchangers around an existing plant to maximize the use of the solar heat already produced.

When I say heat exchangers, I mean prefabricated units that include multiple components, plus the control system and everything else. My company may not be very large, but we have been part of the biggest solar heating project in Mexico. We delivered that large installation for Grupo México ourselves. Now we want to continue establishing our position as the go-to company for large-scale solar heating plants.

Flemming Jorgensen is a Mexico‑based specialist in industrial solar thermal heating. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Mexico City, the firm offers Savosolar collectors in Mexico, Peru, and Chile for large-scale solar plants across Latin America.