Enhancing Energy Sustainability in Remote Mining Operations Through Wind and Pumped-Hydro Storage; Application to Raglan Mine, Canada

Adrien Tardy, Daniel R. Rousse, Baby-Jean Robert Mungyeko Bisulandu and Adrian Ilinca ()
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Adrien Tardy: Mechanical Engineering, T3E Research Group, École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), Montréal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
Daniel R. Rousse: Mechanical Engineering, T3E Research Group, École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), Montréal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
Baby-Jean Robert Mungyeko Bisulandu: Mechanical Engineering, T3E Research Group, École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), Montréal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
Adrian Ilinca: Mechanical Engineering, T3E Research Group, École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), Montréal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-28

Abstract: The Raglan mining site in northern Quebec relies on diesel for electricity and heat generation, resulting in annual emissions of 105,500 tons of CO 2 equivalent. This study investigates the feasibility of decarbonizing the site’s power generation system by integrating a renewable energy network of wind turbines and a pumped hydro storage plant (PHSP). It uniquely integrates PHSP modeling with a dynamic analysis of variable wind speeds and extreme climatic conditions, providing a novel perspective on the feasibility of renewable energy systems in remote northern regions. MATLAB R2024b-based simulations assessed the hybrid system’s technical and economic performance. The proposed system, incorporating a wind farm and PHSP, reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50%, avoiding 68,500 tons of CO 2 equivalent annually, and lowers diesel consumption significantly. The total investment costs are estimated at 2080 CAD/kW for the wind farm and 3720 CAD/kW for the PHSP, with 17.3 CAD/MWh and 72.5 CAD/kW-year operational costs, respectively. The study demonstrates a renewable energy share of 52.2% in the energy mix, with a payback period of approximately 11 years and substantial long-term cost savings. These findings highlight the potential of hybrid renewable energy systems to decarbonize remote, off-grid industrial operations and provide a scalable framework for similar projects globally.

Keywords: decarbonization; wind turbines; renewable energies; wind farm; energy storage; PHSP (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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