Development at existing sites |
New life for old mines
Rehabilitating disused mining sites is a becoming a global problem that will require multiple solutions to address it. Repurposing them as pumped storage projects is one solution that is growing in popularity
Above: Distribution of brownfield pumped storage sites across the globe. Dark red indicates sites with cost class A, while lighter yellow colours indicate systems with higher capital costs. Source: Weber et al. Renewable Energy April 2024.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j. renene.2024.120113
The Brownfield Atlas can be viewed on the Australian National University’s RE100 Group https://re100.eng.anu.
edu.au/pumped_hydro_atlas/
REPURPOSING AN EXISTING MINING pit, lake, tailings pond, or underground mining tunnel as a pumped storage reservoir can often overcome some of the problems presented when trying to develop other greenfield alternatives. As Weber et al discuss in their recent research published in Renewable Energy, many potential closed-loop greenfield pumped storage sites are located far from existing transmission, access roads, and water pumping infrastructure. Such sites also need to obtain a social licence for the entire development area. In comparison, if using an existing mining pit,
lake, or tailings dam as one of the reservoirs, these licences and infrastructure would typically have been required for mining operations. Mining sites are also often located close to existing transmission because electricity is required for mining operations, generally require road and water access, and can thus provide existing infrastructure or permits that facilitate the construction and operation of a pumped hydro storage system, the initial reservoir fill, and reservoir top-ups to replace evaporation losses and seepage. Since land was previously cleared for the operation of the mine, the need to clear additional vegetation for at least one reservoir can also be minimised or even eliminated. Weber et al go on to explain that previous use as a mining site reduces the chance that pumped storage development there will impact land which retains cultural, social, environmental or religious significance. However, they caution, it should be noted that many brownfield sites will require a new reservoir at a different altitude that might be located outside the mining area, and so subject to restrictions imposed by any competing interests.
40 | October 2024 |
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Furthermore, the authors claim that one (or even both) of the reservoir pairs in a brownfield site could be prepared at very low cost, as mining sites can be shaped during the end stages of mining to form a pumped hydro reservoir. In some cases, the cost of this would be similar to the cost of business-as-usual operations.
New atlas Prior to their research, Weber et al say there wasn’t a
global database of potential pumped storage sites that repurpose mining pits, pit lakes, or tailings ponds available. Although a previous study had identified 616,000 potential greenfield closed loop pumped hydro sites around the world, with combined storage of 23,000TWh. In their study, Weber et al have identified 904 sites in mining areas (brownfield) with a combined potential storage of 30TWh. These are available online in a high spatial resolution global atlas, developed through Geographic Information System analysis of a digital terrain model. All sites were assigned a cost class to allow comparison between sites on the global atlas. There are much fewer eligible locations for
brownfield options, with 77 countries found to contain eligible locations. Despite this though, the authors say these sites typically have other advantages including existing transmission infrastructure (in Australia, 84% of these brownfield sites were within 10km of existing transmission lines), water pumping infrastructure, road access, social licence and reduced environmental impact for development on disturbed land.
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