Learn about the contributions of renewable energy in the mining industry

Peru has enormous water, solar, wind, and geothermal potential, but the country is lagging in terms of new renewable energy options.

Carlos Tupac-Yupanqui, Celepsa's Deputy Commercial Manager, was asked to share his thoughts on the role of renewable energy in Peru's mining industry in an interview for the business portal Business Empresarial.

Celepsa has made a commitment to make investments that are aligned with the goals of sustainability and community development. Celepsa's Deputy Commercial Manager, Carlos Tupac-Yupanqui, stated.

According to the Deputy Commercial Manager, there is a demand for renewable energy sources as well as energy solutions that meet the demand from mining companies. To accomplish this, it is necessary to take advantage of renewable resources as well as opportunities available in the operations' areas of influence.

He was also questioned about the advantages of renewable energy in remote mining areas. He emphasized that mining companies that operate in an electrically isolated manner must evaluate aspects such as irradiation, hydrology in the areas affluent to the mines, as well as topographic aspects, soils, social realities, and the climate factor, among other things. In this sense, using renewable energy sources would result in a lower carbon footprint, more energy, and improved operational efficiency. However, for remote areas, storage and energy equipment are neither cost-effective nor emission-free; thus, hybrid solutions would be the best alternative to generators.

The business portal also wanted to know the assistant manager's thoughts on the most important energy projects for our country. He stated that photovoltaic and wind technologies are the most popular in Peru due to their low costs. Similarly, he stated that the quality of Peruvian wind and solar resources is world class.

Storage, electromobility, hydrogen, and fuel will become increasingly important in Peru over the medium and long term. Carlos Tupac-Yupanqui stated.

In the same line, he was asked which renewable energy sources are most commonly used in mining and which are experiencing the most growth. According to the assistant manager, hydroelectric power has been the most widely used energy source for many years, though there is a clear preference for wind and photovoltaic energy. He also stated that mining companies can be supplied with renewable energy both directly and indirectly through power plants connected to their operations.

Finally, he was asked if there is currently a push in Peru for renewable energy. In response, the Deputy Commercial Manager stated that while there are many proposals in the country, regulatory obstacles due to a lack of reforms hinder their development.

We must recognize that as long as electricity demand does not increase significantly, the space will continue to be reduced for large-scale renewables.