A review of renewable energy practices in the Australian mining industry

Mining companies have increasingly shown interest in renewable electricity generation to address rising energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their operations. Yet, the extent to which renewable energy sources are currently adopted by these companies is unknown. This work quantifies and characterises the current level of renewable energy adoption by Australian mining houses and the evolution of renewable energy technology adoption in this industry over time. Moreover, this work contributes to an increased understanding of factors driving or inhibiting the adoption of renewable energy in mining. In 2021, only 7% of the existing mines had or were planning to have a renewable energy system. Of the total renewable energy systems identified in this analysis, 15 were operational, 2 were under construction and 10 have been announced and planned for possible future deployment. The analysis of historical changes in renewable energy technology has highlighted that 70% of the existing operational systems have only been installed since 2019. The characteristics of the mines highly affect the decision to deploy renewable energy systems. 70% of the renewable energy systems analysed in this study were or are planned to be deployed on-site at off-grid mines powered by diesel and/or gas. Solar photovoltaic is the preferred renewable energy technology for mining operations, installed or proposed for 92% of the 27 projects included in this study. By providing a detailed picture of past and current trends of renewable energy adoption, this study identifies weaknesses and points of intervention in the emerging market for renewables in mining. In doing so, it offers guidance to policy and decision makers for the development of informed solutions to increase renewable energy uptake in mining.