There is a growing trend amongst mining companies to develop renewable energy installations to supply their electricity needs.
Using Solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources offers several benefits to mining companies.
They will receive a reliable source of cheap energy; reduce their carbon emissions, and overall impact on the environment; and they will benefit from a healthier relationship with local communities and governments.
The latest project to be commissioned is the 20.5 MW wind farm in Germany's Rhenish mining area.
The project to be developed by RWE Innogy is just one of several such renewable energy installations announced in recent months by mining companies.
China's Jinko Solar also recently announced that it will build a solar energy array at a chromium mine in South Africa. The PV installation will supply an estimated 1.8 GWh of clean energy to the mine every year for the next 20-30 years, reducing its reliance on diesel generators.
By. Charles Kennedy of Oilprice.com
Charles is a writer for Oilprice.com More