MINE POWER
Gaining confidence in clean energy
In Arctic Canada , TUGLIQ ’ s position as an IPP and project coordinator with experience of integrating renewable energy into off-grid mines in these extreme environments is continuing to set it apart from other companies competing in the power storage sector .
This has been demonstrated in projects to integrate and operate wind energy and energy storage systems at the Glencore-owned Raglan mine in northern Quebec , as well as deliver ‘ winterised ’ battery-electric conversion kits for utility vehicles operating in such climates .
Gabrielle Beauchamp , TUGLIQ ’ s Decarbonisation Lead , says the company continues to see more demand for its solutions with all sizes of mining company looking for advice on creating greenhouse gas emission baselines that can form the foundations for more ambitious climate goals .
“ We do see a lot more demand and a lot more commitments from different mines to achieve carbon neutrality with ambitious targets ,” she told IM . “ There is a lot of will power behind these targets , however , at present , mines don ’ t always know where to start . Most of the time they don ’ t have the resources in-house to achieve this , so this is where TUGLIQ can help .”
This can see TUGLIQ map out a Scope 1 and Scope 2 emission roadmap while advising on where operations could also reduce their Scope 3 emissions inputs through tighter integration with their supply chains .
One company that has employed TUGLIQ ’ s services recently is Troilus Gold , which has plans to re-start the historic mine in Quebec it gets its name from . TUGLIQ has already conducted an inventory of its historical GHG emissions , and this engagement will see TUGLIQ develop a roadmap towards a future carbon-neutral mining operation .
The Troilus mine site already benefits from a fully operational 50 MVA electricity substation connected to the Quebec grid that remains in place from previous mining operations , with electricity delivered to the existing substation derived from hydroelectric power .
While it is anticipated the existing infrastructure can be upgraded to provide sufficient electricity to power a future mining operation averaging 246,000 oz / y of gold , some fossil fuel use is still anticipated .
The purpose of the Troilus Carbon Neutral Roadmap will , therefore , be to identify opportunities to reduce or eliminate the use of such fuels and their resulting GHG emissions , Troilus said .
The holistic focus of TUGLIQ is enabling it to serve and advise mining operations that are on- and off-grid , but it still retains a focus on those companies operating in the Arctic .
Aside from stationary power , the company is also making an impact on the mobile power side of that niche market .
Recently , the company and Ingenext dispatched their second joint customised , coldclimate resistant pick-up truck to Quebec Iron Ore ’ s Bloom Lake mine in Quebec , Canada . This converted GMC Sierra 2500 HD pick-up truck is set to be tested at the site , which is a significant producer of high-grade iron ore . The first prototype unit is currently being used by on-site TUGLIQ personnel maintaining the renewable wind , solar and storage assets that deliver power to the Raglan mine .
Paul-Étienne Carrier , Project Manager of TUGLIQ ’ s EV program , told IM last year that these conversion kits include an innovative thermal management system that allows them to overcome the typical ‘ cannibalisation ’ issue affecting batterypowered equipment that operates in environments experiencing extreme temperatures .
These deliveries and the technology going into them are being supported by Natural Resources Canada through a five-year funding agreement that will also help TUGLIQ demonstrate and assess the use of electric vehicle charging stations tied to a hybrid diesel-renewable “ smart grid ”.
Outside of this , TUGLIQ is starting to see the emergence of a new way of thinking about renewable energy integration from mining companies , one that focuses on making the most of ‘ green ’ energy inputs .
Kristina Hamernik , Business Development at TUGLIQ , said : “ We do know of some cases of smaller operations with shorter mine lives , or those looking to re-start legacy mines , approaching the mine power equation in early economic studies with the idea of achieving the highest possible renewable penetration and potentially being more adaptive in their operations based on the energy resource they can use .”
Unlike Western Australia , which can rely on consistent solar power , achieving high renewable penetration is a more complicated process in Arctic Canada .
Recently , TUGLIQ and Ingenext dispatched their second joint customised , cold-climate resistant pick-up truck to Quebec Iron Ore ’ s Bloom Lake mine in Quebec , Canada
Beauchamp explained : “ Going directly to 100 % renewables in the Arctic would be very risky for the operation and the grid itself . In the Arctic , it is not just a matter of de-risking power operations to ensure reliability of operation , it is about health and safety : if you don ’ t have power , you don ’ t have heating for your workers and equipment . At the height of winter , that becomes a very big issue .”
With the cost of failure at such remote sites being much higher than those elsewhere , the reliability of the power supply and the energy storage system acting as a spinning reserve has to be extremely high for this to work .
Therefore , TUGLIQ continues to take a ‘ phased approach ’ at all its renewable sites that can be expanded as stakeholders gain confidence in the renewable integration principles .
Fortunately , the technology and reliability of energy storage systems is improving with every year that passes , which will have a positive impact on further uptake and penetration of renewables in the Arctic , according to Beauchamp .
“ We do see an increase in the efficiencies of battery systems and a reduction in their cost ,” she said . “ The more we get reliable , efficient and cheaper storage options , the more we can look at higher renewable penetration rates in Arctic climates .”
A juggling act
Matt Zafuto , VP , Industry Solutions , Hitachi Energy , agrees that battery storage represents a key technology for any mine power solution today .
“ Every power decision a mine makes is about powering local operations more efficiently and ensuring the mine has enough quality power to enable its production schedules ,” he told IM . “ Some mines are further along in their journey with renewable energy than others , but battery
60 International Mining | JANUARY 2023