Tugliq Energy’s Wind Power Mine Project Could Be Replicated in Nunavut

After tremendous success in Canada’s remote Arctic area of Nunavik, Tugliq Energy is considering doing similar wind turbine projects across other northern communities, including maybe the Hope Bay mine in Nunavut, which belongs to TMAC Resources.

The 3 MW wind turbine installed in Nunavik sits at the Glencore’s Raglan nickel mine in the northern part of Quebec. It is also accompanied by a 0.65 MW energy storage facility.

Since the start of the turbine operation in 2014, it saved the mining company a total of 4.5 million litres of diesel. In addition, Tugliq Energy says that 12,600 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were avoided.

Previously, the mine was heavily reliant on diesel because of its remote location, but now Glencore estimates that it can save over $40 million in fuel costs over 20 years, CBC reports.

Following the successful experience, Tugliq Energy is looking to replicate the project elsewhere, with the TMAC Resources’ Hope Bay mine in Nunavut being one of the possibilities.

“We’re already doing it — renewable energy is available today and can be installed in the Arctic,” CBC quotes Laurent Abbatiello, CEO of the Quebec-based Tugliq Energy, as saying. “We do believe renewable energy is possible for Nunavut.”

So far, the company has conducted preliminary feasibility studies in Nunavut around Iqaluit and Grise Fiord.

Tugliq Energy’s Head of Business Development, Nicolas Séguin, will be presenting a case study ‘Designing a Zero Capex Strategy for Diesel-Savings with Renewable Power’ at the Energy and Mines World Congress in Toronto on November 21-22.

Also, the 3 MW wind turbine installed at the Glencore’s Raglan Mine has been included in the Energy and Mines’ first global rankings of renewables use by mining companies. The project has also been nominated for Energy and Mines Renewables in Mining Awards for ‘Best use of wind by a mining company (<100MW)’ and ‘Best use of energy storage’.

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