As the world moves towards a sustainable energy future, electricity is becoming an ever more important source of energy - it will be the backbone of our sustainable energy future. Multiple studies indicate that electricity consumption will keep increasing and account for over 40 percent of total energy demand by 2050. Transportation, Mining, Building and Industrial industries - major industry sectors in Australia - are all taking steps towards a sustainable energy future. In each of these industries, the move towards electrification is a significant part of the overall strategy. Where direct electrification to meet energy needs is either not efficient or is impossible, complementary energy carries such as green hydrogen are being developed as alternatives to current fossil fuel-based solutions.
In the mining industry, tier one miners such as BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue Metals and Roy Hill have all announced targets to reduce CO2 equivalent emissions in their operations. The industry's commitment to reducing emissions extends to collaboration across a range of initiatives such as the Australian Industry Energy Transitions Initiative and Charge On Innovation Challenge, an industry consortium focused on driving solutions for the electrification of ore digging and hauling.
Energy Transition
The energy transition is underway in the mining industry and Hitachi Energy is well placed to co-create a sustainable energy future. Whilst our brand may be new to some, Hitachi Energy has a deep history in Australian mining industry. For example, Hitachi Energy built Rio Tinto's substation network - 17 substations in all. Hitachi's scope of supply for these projects included: HV equipment and transformers; power quality equipment; communications, control and protection systems; and the SCADA and remote monitoring and control system. Another significant mining related project utilising Hitachi Energy's technology is Alinta's Newman Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project which has been in operation for over 5 years. Hitachi Energy supplied inverters and the advanced control system which enables the BESS to operate as ‘spinning reserve', removing the need to have a gas turbine on operational ‘standby', reducing costs and emissions.
Australia has always been known as ‘the lucky country'. As a nation we are resource rich, and this is also true when it comes to renewable energy resources. We have vast wind and solar resources that will form the backbone of our sustainable energy future. Large parts of the mining industry are in remote locations, making the transportation of fossil fuels a costly exercise. However, when it comes to renewable energy, these remote locations have significant advantages in terms of resource availability (particularly solar) and the space to harness those resources for the generation of electricity.
Energy Infrastructure
Transitioning to renewable generation sources will require augmentation of existing, or in some cases new, energy infrastructure. Hitachi Energy has a range of products, solutions and services to assist this transition.
Alongside our traditional range of high-voltage equipment and transformers, Hitachi Energy has developed the EconiQTM eco-efficient portfolio for sustainability, where products, services and solutions are proven to deliver exceptional environmental performance. EconiQ high-voltage technology uses alternative gas mixtures and eliminates SF6 with scalable solutions for the lowest carbon footprint. For transformers, bio-degradable oil replaces mineral oil.
Generation from sources such as solar requires firming capacity. Hitachi Energy's BESS solution is based on proven grid forming inverter technology providing a full range of capabilities, with the ability to effectively and completely replace services traditionally provided by a gas turbine or diesel engine.
Operation and maintenance requirements are addressed through Hitachi Energy's Lumada and eMesh software solutions. Sustainability is also about managing both generation and load which places increasing importance on data. Our solutions take the complexity out of managing and understanding data to enable efficient management of the energy system.
To enable the mining industry to transition to a sustainable energy future, areas beyond the electricity infrastructure need to be addressed. Hitachi Energy is well placed to support the industry here also.
Innovation
Innovation and co-creation are part of Hitachi Energy's DNA. It is this spirit that has led us to participate in the Charge On Innovation Challenge (COIC).
Around 50% of a mines operational CO2 emissions come from the excavators and massive dump trucks that dig and haul ore within the mine. COIC's goal is to foster innovation and collaboration across the mining industry and OEMs to find solutions to reduce emissions from these sources. Hitachi Energy is building on its history of innovation and learnings from the public transport sector to address the challenge of reducing mining emissions. Our concept, which has been selected by the patrons of COIC to move to the next phase of the challenge, builds on our existing and proven Grid-eMotion Flash solution. Hitachi Energy's goal is to safely and reliably deliver up to 8MW of charge to a dump truck battery in a matter of minutes.
As recently announced by the patrons of COIC, Hitachi Energy's Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, Noaman Amjad Hitachi Energy said, "We are very pleased to have been selected as one of the winning proposals and that Hitachi Energy's solution has been recognised as meeting with the spirit of interoperability as requested by the patrons."
About Hitachi Energy
Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future.
We are advancing the world's energy system to become more sustainable, flexible, and secure whilst balancing social, environmental, and economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, we generate business volumes of approximately $10 billion USD.
Read about Hitachi Energy's Charge On Innovation Challenge solution here and watch the video.
