COMMENT •

Leon Louw - Editor • @ LeonLouw3 • llouw @ interactmedia . co . za

Most remote mines in Africa operating off-grid are dependent on fossil fuels as the main source of power . Diesel or gas generators are effective in these harsh environments , but in the long term , extremely costly to operate . Moreover , a reliance on diesel fuel only , might become a liability in a new normal where shareholders , and funders , consider ESGs first and not increasing dividends and profit margins at all costs . The carbon emissions and other environmental impacts associated with fossil fuels are signifcant , and might count against a mining operation in the future .

As all executives and project managers that have built mines in remote Africa know , one of the primary challenges is getting large plant and equipment to site , or re-assembling components after delivery . This is also the case when setting up or constructing a renewble energy system like a solar plant or some form of hybrid solution .

According to Hans Olav Kvalvaag , SVP Release at Norwegian headquartered renewable energy specialist Scatec , the key challenges when setting up renewable energy facilities in remote regions of Africa are mostly related to transportation and logistics on site . Scatec is no stranger to Africa , and has developed , built , financed and operated more than 1GW of solar PV and hydro projects in , amongst others , South Africa , Mozambique , Rwanda and South Sudan .

Developing a new mine in remote regions has always required tenacity and perseverance . That has not changed . However , in a world where the emphasis is now on the softer aspects of mining , and where flexibility and diversity count more than just mining skills , teaming up with the right partners will be key to successfully bring a new project into fruition within budget and within timelines . Energy is a focus area for mining executives , and to invest in a system that can be quickly assembled , installed , removed , or expanded , will become critical in the future . •

Leon Louw , Editor

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