World Energy Saving Day: what can be done in mining

On October 21, World Energy Saving Day is celebrated with the aim of motivating people and companies to reflect on their energy consumption on a daily basis. How to implement more efficient use of energy in a sector as important as mining?

According to the ABB Group, electric motors are key to the efficient use of energy, since 45% of the electricity consumed on the planet is used to power them in industries or buildings.

Peruvian mining loses US$30 million annually by not using higher energy efficiency motors, as stated by Eng. Abraham Villanueva, specialist in ABB’s Motion business in Peru, within the framework of World Energy Saving Day.

Likewise, he maintained that a large mining company could stop emitting about 3 million tons of CO2 per year if they switched to more efficient electric motors, which is equivalent to taking 417 internal combustion cars off the road.

“This represents a very large environmental and economic impact that the mining industry must consider to make its operations more efficient. Using higher efficiency motors generates savings of up to 10% of the equipment’s life cycle cost“, stressed the specialist.

For his part, he added that, in Peru, around 80% of the motors used by the industry are of low or standard efficiency, and around 95% that operate in mining do not apply digitalization.

According to Abraham Villanueva, around 100,000 electric motors operate in Peru with energy-saving potential in all industries, a market that amounts to approximately US$ 27 million, of which ABB has a 10% market share.

On the occasion, he stated that Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, Moquegua, and Cajamarca are the regions that lead the use of high efficiency engines.

The ABB representative stated that they expect 10% annual growth in the marketing of high-efficiency motors, a business that is led by mining and then by the metallurgical, fishing, beverage and food industries.