By Johan Pretorius, MMM Segment Lead, Anglophone Africa at Schneider Electric 

The mining, minerals and metals industry forms a critical part of material supply, all essential as the world continues to move towards a digital transformation. However, the industry also contributes an estimated four to seven percent of the globe’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 

Moreover, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Critical Minerals Market Review, notes a record deployment of clean energy technologies is propelling huge demand for minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper. “From 2017 to 2022, the energy sector was the main factor behind a tripling in overall demand for lithium, a 70% jump in demand for cobalt, and a 40% rise in demand for nickel,” says the report.

This surge underscores the urgent need for sustainable practices in an industry that continues to grow in leaps and bounds and traditionally reliant on high-carbon energy sources like diesel.

Microgrids play an important part in taking the mining, minerals and metals to a greener posture also known as green mining, minerals and metals.  For one, it is particularly well-suited to an industry where operations are often located in remote areas with limited access to reliable electricity, and combination of energy sources.  

By integrating various energy sources—such as solar, wind, battery storage, and diesel generators—microgrids provide a stable and continuous power supply, essential for the uninterrupted operations of mines, cement plants, and steel mills to name a few. 

In Africa, we are seeing countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and South Africa adopting microgrid technology. These nations are exploring the technology to not only ensure reliable power supply to mining operations but also to align with global sustainability requirements.  

The benefits of microgrids go beyond its ability to easily operate in conjunction with renewable solar and wind energy generation and include:

• Higher resilience – Microgrids can generate and store power independently from any main power grid offering a more resilient approach to maintaining power stability. By having the option of either acting in coordination with the existing grid or acting as an independent island, the steady, predictable supply of energy greatly minimises operations power-related downtime.
• Supports migration from fuel furnaces to electric furnaces – In the glass and steel industries, a sustainability trend towards the electrification of furnaces is helping to reduce costs and to lower global carbon emissions.  

Innovations such as Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) and Direct Reduction Iron (DRI) are helping to eliminate the use of high emissions fuel furnaces. Microgrids play an important role in supporting these new processes as Alternative and additional sources of renewable energy. 

• Easier management –microgrid management solutions such as Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor architecture provide a Human Machine Interface (HMI) for site managers, process the various demand/response requests, optimise output decisions based on energy tariff rates and weather forecast predictions, and factor in user consumption constraints.  

Overcoming challenges in microgrid implementation 

While the benefits of microgrids are clear, there are also challenges; foremost is determining the optimal energy mix for a given site.  

Mines and industrial operations have unique energy demands, and finding the right balance between solar, wind, battery storage, and diesel generators requires careful planning and expertise.

Another is the initial investment required for microgrid infrastructure. Although the long-term savings and environmental benefits are significant, the upfront costs can feel prohibitively high to some companies. 

However, these challenges are being addressed through partnerships with technology providers like Schneider Electric, which is actively involved in developing and implementing microgrid solutions across Africa. 

By working closely with end-users in the mining, minerals and metals sector, Schneider Electric is helping companies navigate the complexities of microgrid implementation and realise the full potential of this technology.

Schneider Electric will be exhibiting at this year’s Electra Mining 2024 exhibition, held from 2-6 September at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Johannesburg, Gauteng.  Visit the company’s stand situated in hall 7, stand B02.