Nuance Energy’s CEO and Founder Interviewed by Resource World Magazine
Resource World is a trade magazine serving the mining and oil & gas industries. Kathrine Moore, the magazine’s editor, recently interviewed Brian Boguess for an article she wrote titled Nuance Energy offers modular and portable solar energy solutions tominingindustry that appears in the February/March 2018 edition. The article focuses on the unique capabilities of the Osprey PowerPlatform® and how these are making solar power more viable at new and existing sites that need electric power.Many, if not most, mining and oil & gas sites are situated off-grid and are currently dependent primarily on diesel-powered generators for electricity. This raises numerous issues involving not only the direct cost of the dieselfuel,but also the logistical, indirect costs associated with getting it onsite—both of which are continuous costs during the life of the project. The ability to lessen, by any amount, diesel consumed can, therefore, provide significant benefit.
The use of solar energy in a hybrid “power plant” or microgrid has the ability to mitigate these and other issues associated with the use and transport of diesel fuel. The Osprey PowerPlatform goes even further than traditional ground mount solar systems to also address some related issues, including longevity of the asset, financing, deployment and decommissioning.
Life of Mine: The fact is, businesses are reluctant to invest in a ground mount solar system when the life of themine,or oil or gas field is uncertain. The unique ability to Lift & Shift™ the entire Osprey Power Platform enables its redeployment elsewhere, thus eliminating the risk associated with stranding any assets should the site not—or no longer—produce.
Getting the Money: By eliminating the risk of stranding costly solar assets at an abandoned site, the Osprey’s Lift & Shift capability affords another major and unprecedented advantage: It makes it possible to secure financing under a power purchase agreement (PPA) for a mobile mining microgrid.
Green In: Because the Osprey is assembled using only basic handheld power tools, there is no need for large equipment to be hauled on site for pile-driving, excavating, pouring concrete, etc., all of which require more diesel fuel. In most instances, given a relatively level area devoid of trees or brush vegetation, a single Osprey PowerPlatform can be fully assembled, including with the solar panels, in less than four man-hours.
Green Out: At the end of the project, the Osprey can be untethered from the ground and transported elsewhere with virtually nothing left behind. No stranded assets. No costly decommissioning effort. Simply lift, then shift.
PR Bonus Benefit: Working with the community. Because assembly of the Osprey involves mostly minimally-skilled labor and no special equipment, the business or its EPC contractor is able to source labor locally and thus engage in a positive manner with the local community.
For those interested, Nuance Energy’s website has more information about Solar Power for Mining, as well as about another application that benefits from the Osprey’s unique Lift & Shift capability: Solar for Disaster Preparedness & Response.
To learn more about our complete range of turnkey solar solutions for you project, schedule a free consultation with the Nuance Energy team today.
