How to Face Energy Challenges in Mining With Hybrid Technologies

As mining companies seek increased efficiency and a lower environmental impact, they are faced with growing challenges when embracing hybrid energy technologies. With the right support, however, mining companies can rapidly transition to alternative fuels, achieving significant cost savings and moving closer to their goal of zero emissions, says Mariano Souto, Director General, Aggreko.

The challenges mining companies face when using hybrid technologies include access to energy, maintaining a stable energy supply, high investment and operating costs, resource price fluctuations, flexibility to meet energy demands at various stages of a mine's lifecycle, and reducing carbon footprints. Aggreko, a company with global and local expertise that operates 10GW of capacity across 80 countries, has become a key partner in addressing these challenges, offering expertise in determining fuel lifecycles and roadmaps, and providing a comprehensive fuel evolution plan throughout the contract, with the flexibility to adjust fuel types as needed. 

Souto explains that the road to the energy transition requires understanding Mexico’s unique position. As a result, Aggreko remains "agnostic" to different technologies, recognizing that when implementing energy solutions, especially for mining operations, Mexico must adopt technologies that best suit its needs.

"We face many challenges because there are numerous factors to consider for a project to be viable. There are many variables in which we must generate a transition, and we are responsible for this. We have to work with transition solutions,” he explains. In this sense, Aggreko adapts to what the client needs and has, while also seeking solutions that are sustainable both economically and environmentally, and that truly make sense during the transition. Improving efficiency, perhaps using diesel in some cases, is part of what the transition entails. 

“At Aggreko, we have had to do a lot of work in education and outreach. It is often thought that deploying solar energy is simple and that is not the case, as it is not always available. We need hybrid operations to ensure a stable supply, capable of supporting mining operations,” says Souto.

Aggreko's roadmap to energy transition, before reaching renewables, typically involves:

• Diesel/HFO: The quickest and easiest fuel to use for short-term projects or as a temporary solution while securing an alternative fuel supply.

• Dual Fuel: If gas is intermittently available, Aggreko can implement an ADDGAS dual-fuel solution, which blends diesel with gas.

• LPG: The next step, involving LPG via a virtual pipeline.

• Natural Gas: As supply chains expand and gas becomes more readily available (such as LNG or CNG), companies can transition to gas usage.

Once renewables can be adopted, Aggreko recommends a hybrid solar-battery-thermal solution, which offers an optimal energy mix for the lowest cost of electricity without compromising reliability. Key benefits include 24-hour reliable energy, zero emissions, and enhanced grid stability. One of the advantages of integrating distributed solar or wind energy into a simplified energy network is the unique hybrid contract term of five to 10 years, which is shorter than typical solar IPP contracts. This approach also enables high renewable energy penetration, advancing the mining sector toward net-zero emissions.

Aggreko's success stories include Gold Fields' Salares Norte Mine in Chile, BTR Copper Mine in Indonesia, Resolute Mining in Mali, and another project with Gold Fields in Australia. At the Salares Norte Mine, the company achieved significant results, including a US$15 million cost reduction in energy, a reduction of 105,000t of emissions, US$500,000 saved in carbon taxes, and the implementation of 7.7MW of solar power.