Western Australia’s mines could be carbon free in next few years

Mine sites in regional and remote parts of Western Australia could be fully powered by renewable energy within the next few years, Edith Cowan University (ECU) researchers found.

Western Australia plays host to about 134 mining projects, with the resources sector achieving sales on production of some $238 billion in 2023–24.

Traditionally, mining operations have relied heavily on diesel generators and other conventional energy sources. However, while dependable, these sources are associated with high costs, environmental impacts, and logistical challenges.

“The mining industry faces increasing pressure to adopt sustainable energy practices due to its significant energy consumption and the global push toward reducing carbon emissions. In response, many companies are exploring hybrid energy systems, which integrate conventional fossil-fuel-based generators with renewable energy sources like solar and wind,” ECU Ph.D. student Mehrdad Ghahramani said.

Ghahramani noted that given the technological advancements in battery storage units, and the accompanying cost reductions, it would become possible for mine sites to become completely reliant on renewable energy sources in the short to medium-term.

“Currently, one of the most challenging aspects of integrating renewable energy into a mining site’s grid is the costs of lithium-ion batteries which are used to store the renewable energy produced. But these costs are decreasing,” he said.

However, Ghahramani noted that there was no ‘”one-size fits all” solution to renewable energy use at remote mining sites, but that each individual mining operation could potentially require individual solutions.

“A major takeaway from recent initiatives is the necessity of tailored energy solutions. Mining sites differ vastly in their energy requirements, geographic locations, and existing infrastructure. This diversity makes a one-size-fits-all approach impractical. For instance, while some sites may benefit most from solar photovoltaic (PV) paired with battery storage, others might find a wind-diesel hybrid system more effective,” he said.

“However, using renewable energy comes with several uncertainties. There is no way to accurately predict how much energy exactly will be generated by wind turbines or PV panels on any given day. Managing these uncertainties is crucial to maintaining system reliability and cost efficiency.”

Research by Ghahramani published in Energies presented a structured framework to evaluate cost-performance trade-offs in hybrid energy systems, focusing on risk management under various uncertainty scenarios.

By incorporating demand response, energy storage, and renewable generation, the research analyzed how each approach impacts system performance and cost at different risk tolerance levels. The findings indicate that for the studied power structure, the risk-averse strategy prioritizes reliability by maintaining higher reserves, resulting in higher costs but addressing uncertainties up to 28%.

Conversely, the risk-seeking strategy lowers costs by accepting a 15% uncertainty risk, reducing system reliability. The risk-neutral approach strikes a balance between cost and reliability. Additionally, the sensitivity analysis illustrates how power demand uncertainty significantly influences decision-making in hybrid energy system management.

“In the race towards net zero, the winner will be the mining company that can prepare themselves for all aspects of using renewable energy, including the challenges that it can bring in term of intermittency, grid stability and energy storage solutions.

“The best advice we can give is to start small, by planning and implementing microgrids or smart grids within the mining sector, to help the sector prepare themselves for the day that they need to switch completely to renewables,” Ghahramani said.

For now, hybrid power systems that combine diesel or gas generators with solar PV or wind energy offer the most practical solution for off-grid mining operations. These systems allow mines to steadily increase their renewable energy usage while ensuring reliable power supply.