According to the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), more than 30 African countries are currently experiencing power shortages and regular interruptions due to a variety of reasons having significant impact on the countrys economy
These include natural causes, such as droughts, oil price shocks, system disruptions caused by conflict and high growth with low investment or structural issues.
The African continent is a major producer of many key mineral commodities, mineral exploration and production form a huge part of many African countries’ economies. The mining industry is also very energy intensive, accounting for three time more than residential demand for electricity. Therefore, the mining sector needs to explore long-term backup energy sources that are in line with their country’s policies and stance on carbon neutrality, to ensure that they can remain operational and profitable, while reducing the health and safety concerns caused by these power interruptions.
Mining operations are long-term projects that require consistent power management and needs to be carefully managed from start to finish. Costs are tight, especially in the current economy, and organisations require that every eventuality is prepared for, as well as ensuring that the mine continues to run seamlessly. Access to power is not just a profit point, it is a safety one, and mines need to know that their power investments are going to keep them alight when they need it the most.
This is one of the reasons why outsourced power solutions have become so popular, and so relevant. Not only do they offer a consistent and trusted source of power planned or unexpected power failures, but the right ones also offer this power in a variety of environmentally relevant formats. The mining sector requires power solutions that can scale and evolve with the business.
Outsourced power solutions offer the scale and diversity that organisations need to truly flex and adapt on-demand, and they grow with the site from initial planning and development through to the final closing phases. This is perhaps one of the biggest advantages. Mines can outsource the power that fits the specific requirements of the site on a changing basis - it is power as a service which means it’s power and spend on your terms. This results in cost-effective power that reduces the cost of production that has a long-term positive impact on that bottom line.
