Reliable green storage solutions are a key part of the mining industry’s transition to high-penetration renewable energy generation. Battery storage can be used to overcome the intermittency problems associated with solar and wind generation, as well as being used as an alternative to diesel in mining fleets.
Renewable hydrogen is set to revolutionize both green power generation and the use of electric vehicles in the mining industry. Cost estimates from the US Department of Energy suggest that distributed electrolysis (using off-peak electricity) could reach $2.30/GGE (gallon of gasoline equivalent) of hydrogen by 2020, making it cost competitive with US gasoline prices.
Leading car manufacturers have also released a roadmap that suggests that by 2050, hydrogen could account for 18 percent of global total final energy consumption, potentially reducing global CO2 emissions by 60 percent.
Companies such as Shell, Rio Tinto, Anglo American, and Alcoa are devoting resources to support hydrogen technologies in order to reap the benefits, including reduced energy costs, lowered emissions, enhanced energy security, and reduced strain on ventilation systems through the use of electric vehicles. You can read more about the value of renewable hydrogen to the mining industry HERE.