- Peru | 15 May 2021
What is the agreement between ENGIE Energía Perú and Anglo American for the Quellaveco project?
The agreement between ENGIE and Anglo American means that the Quellaveco project will be supplied with 100% green energy, making it the first Peruvian mine to secure all its electricity needs through renewable sources. ENGIE will build a 260 MW wind farm in south-central Peru and a 60 km transmission line to connect it to the national grid. Siemens Gamesa will provide the wind turbines for the project.
What are the environmental and cost benefits of installing renewable energy, such as wind turbines?
The Punta Lomitas wind project will almost double ENGIE’s renewable energy source capacity and avoid CO2 emissions by 230,000 mt/y. ENGIE has already eliminated approximately 2 million tons of CO2 emissions per year by decommissioning a diesel fuel plant and inaugurating a solar plant. In addition to being environmentally friendly, renewable energy also has a positive financial impact, especially in regions with abundant solar and wind resources.
Can power projects like Punta Lomitas be scaled down for small and medium-sized mines?
Renewable energy projects are flexible and can be scaled to fit the size of the operation. ENGIE Energía Peru has approximately 1,000 MW renewable energy projects in its pipeline and is focused on renewable energy for the foreseeable future in Peru.
To what extent do you think the utilization of green energy could help the mining industry improve its image?
By utilizing green energy, the mining industry can change the perception that some people connect with it. While mining will continue to require significant amounts of energy, supplying it through greener sources can make it more sustainable, which benefits communities, companies, the environment, and the Peruvian economy. Quellaveco is leading the way for the rest of the industry to follow towards more sustainable forms of energy consumption.