Load shedding and power cuts are dominating all aspects of life, and many businesses and industries are looking at innovative ways to reduce their dependency on grid power, increase productivity, reduce operating costs, and be gentler on the environment. This is a monumental but not impossible task for South Africa’s mining industry which is making the switch and investing in renewable solutions. Financial services company, Deloitte, notes that energy is one of the biggest expenses for mining companies, constituting approximately 30% of total operating costs.
“While renewable and solar energy solutions can make a massive impact and save the mining industry millions in electricity costs, it does require robust, quality battery solutions to ensure energy is stored and seamlessly available on demand,” said Murray Long, Managing Director of First National Battery, a leading energy solutions provider.
Applications to store power
All renewable and solar energy applications need battery solutions to store power, and the type of battery depends on how much power is required, weather conditions, and space availability. In addition, Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) is critical to provide emergency power during outages. Not only do they protect equipment from a power interruption, but they also eliminate spikes and voltage fluctuations.
Trusted power solutions to keep mines at their peak
Mining operations also require robust traction battery solutions to power their locomotives, drill rig machines, scoop batteries, hauler batteries, and mining cap lamps. An industrial battery solution is an investment and must be manufactured to the right specification, using quality materials to meet international standards. Reliability, durability, performance, and safety are essential.
High-quality traction power
Traction energy solutions should be manufactured for specific applications and machinery to be reliable, go the distance, and be easy to maintain. A quality traction battery should be manufactured to minimise exposure to the elements and reduce corrosion, for enhanced longevity and performance.
Lithium-ion mining cap lamps
With long working hours underground, miners always have to have reliable power for their cap lamps. Lithium-ion mining cap lamps are fast becoming the preferred solution. Any innovative energy solution provider should offer their customers all the training and consulting they need so that miners have the skills to maintain their mission-critical equipment, enhance their safety and prevent downtime.
While lithium-ion power solutions are paving the way toward renewable energy, conventional industrial and vehicle battery solutions are still essential for the mining industry. Many local and international mines trust a local range of high-quality mining batteries to keep their operations performing at their peak, with charged and powered vehicle fleets, locomotives, forklifts, standby power, renewable energy, and solar energy.
