chile tests floating solar panels to power mine and save water

by:Tunto     2020-04-09
Chile is testing a solar panel floating island to generate clean energy and reduce water losses in mining operations, the cornerstone of the national economy that uses a lot of electricity and water.
Las Tortolas power for experiment-
Power generation Island is operated by a large Anglo American mining company in its Los Browns mine, and the government has pushed Chile to take the lead in renewable energy use in Latin America and the world. The 1,200-square-
Mining Minister Baldo Prokurica unveiled the full array of solar panels.
If the test is successful, the 190,000-acre plant will be expanded to 40 hectares, or nearly 100 acres, officials said.
The array floats in the middle of the pond to accommodate mining waste, known as tailings, and it is expected that its shadow will reduce the water temperature and evaporation by 80%.
This means that the mine will retain more water for its operations and may reduce the amount of fresh water it pumps in arid mountainous areas, where it is a scarce commodity.
\"With this system, we can improve the efficiency of fresh water consumption according to our redesigned goals.
Imagine that by 2030, the consumption of fresh water in Britain and the United States will be reduced by 50%, and through the production of non-
Polluting energy, \"said Patricio Chacana, vice president of operations at Los Bronx. If the year-
Long-term experiments are planned, solar panel islands can be expanded, and new solar panel islands can be installed in other mining ponds.
Experts say there are about 800 such ponds in Chile.
\"This is a good idea for traceability in the mining industry, especially in terms of more efficient water use.
\"This is a company that recycles 76% of the water used in its process, and he encourages other mining companies to follow suit,\" the mining minister said at the unveiling ceremony . \".
Mr. Prokurica said that the ministry of mines is working on a plan to improve the safety of the mine, in order to prevent accidents like a recent iron ore mine in Brazil, which has released a mud wall, at least 186 people were killed and hundreds of miles of rivers were polluted.
Many tailings ponds in the north of the country are located near the center of the city.
Los Browns is about 40 miles from the capital, San Diego.
The mine produced 370,000 tons of refined copper and 2,421 tons of molybdenum last year.
Nearly 20% of the energy produced and used in Chile comes from renewable sources, up from 6% in 2013.
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