Page 22 - North American Clean Energy January February 2018 Issue

THE RAGLAN MINE IN NORTHERN QUEBEC, NEAR THE
Arctic Circle, relies on a wind powered electrical system which was speci cally constructed to provide energy for this nickel mining project. e mine’s energy costs are substantially reduced because wind power displaces part of the mine’s more expensive diesel fuel consumption. It is estimated this rst-of-its-kind wind powered energy system will save the Raglan mine 2.4 million liters of diesel fuel annually.
is three Megawatt wind turbine is an important aspect of controlling the underground mine’s costs, as energy accounts for between 18 and 24 percent of its annual operating costs. Moreover, the mine site is very remote with no connections to the Hydro Quebec main power grid. is energy system was completed in 2015, and is expected to continue to operate over the mine’s entire life.
e objective of this project was to construct a wind hydrogen/ energy storage smart grid system at a remote northern mining location, in order to illustrate that this technology could successfully operate in severe arctic climate conditions, at an industrial scale, and achieve signi cant reductions in the cost of energy and in diesel consumption (compared to diesel only or wind-diesel alternatives).
e project includes three di erent energy storage technologies -- a high speed y wheel, a lithium ion battery, and a hydrogen storage loop, complete with a electrolyzer and a fuel cell. e lithium battery technology powering this wind energy system is used in many electric and electric-hybrid automobiles, as well as in utility-scale energy storage applications, ranging from single- family homes up to utility-scale systems. Lithium batteries are designed with built-in safety features. When they overheat, they automatically shut down. e typical lead acid battery o ers 50 percent of capacity, whereas lithium batteries provide 80 percent of usable capacity. Lithium batteries are usually half the size and
a third of the weight of traditional batteries. e life of a lithium battery is typically more than thirteen years, and requires low maintenance. Moreover, lithium batteries reduce CO2 emissions and are recyclable.
e y wheel system has a rotor which turns at a very high speed. e energy stored in the y wheel system can be supplied back to the electricity system as needed, to smooth out rapid wind power variations.
Dramatic variations in wind power can cause variations in the grid power system frequency, so generated power is continually adjusted via the fuel valve, and the mechanical action of the valve is assisted by power from the energy storage components. A micro-grid controller has been designed to handle energy
management and power ow of the energy storage, to smooth out wind power variations, and ensure power system reliability and stability.
e system has successfully demonstrated the interplay of multiple storage technologies, and been able to respond e ectively to the variability of wind power. e battery and ywheel combination have operated without tripping the security mechanisms
of the Raglan diesel micro-grid. e turbine has achieved 97.3 percent availability since its installation in 2014, displacing over 6 million liters of diesel, and 17,899 tons of greenhouse gases over 38 months of operation.
e wind turbine uses an innovative foundation structure, which is elevated one meter above ground and mounted on piles 16 meters deep, to minimize environmental footprint, and adapt to permafrost degradation over the life of the turbine. e amount of concrete used in the foundation is dramatically lower compared to the amount used
in the platforms of conventional wind turbines (30 instead of 450 cubic meters). is is an important factor, as concrete is signi cantly more expensive in the North compared to Southern Canada.
e Raglan Mine employs 950 workers. It has been awarded the "Coup de coeur" award for the Northern Québec region at the Prix Créateurs d'emplois du Québec. is award recognizes Glencore’s contribution to maintaining quality jobs with a view
to sustainable development. e Prix créateurs d'emplois du Québec event annually celebrates the principle job creators in each of the 17 administrative regions of Québec. Two prizes are awarded in each administrative
region. First, the "Champion" category highlights the remarkable performance
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by Beverly Brooks
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JANUARY•FEBRUARY2018 /// www.nacleanenergy.com