Arnoldus Mateo van den Hurk presents an innovation in the financial assessment of renewables in mine
During the commodity boom, mining companies were focused on ramping up production and investing in new capital projects to expand supply. It was a time when the income statement was the key management paradigm in mining economics. Now, however, the global mining industry has refocused on cost control and capital discipline. Investors today value firms based less on how much they mine and more on how efficiently they do so, and how well they mitigate risk. In this new scenario, non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE) sources such as biomass crops, small-hydro, geothermal plants, concentrated solar power mirrors, wind turbines or solar panels can lower energy risks in mining. Why? Because renewable facilities act as mining assets whereas business as usual (BAU) energy options such as coal, diesel and gas, and even conventional hydro, become mining liabilities.
CIM Magazine Dec 14/Jan 15