Month: April 2023

Ricus Grimbeek is the mining advisor for Release by Scatec, a role that feeds into his passion for bringing sustainable solutions to the mining industry.

Ricus Grimbeek, Senior Mining Advisor.

In a recent LinkedIn post, Ricus Grimbeek wrote that he imagines a world in which “mining and other industries use mostly renewable energy”. It’s the answer to his personal ‘why’ (à la Simon Sinek) and it’s a quest that perhaps started at the ripe age of 18, while he was working underground at the coalface of a South African mine.

Ricus has worked in mining for more than three decades. Coal, gold, diamonds, platinum, manganese – his career has been one above and below ground, spanning continents. He says that throughout it all, he’s followed his own path, putting him on a mission to make mining cleaner and greener.

“I’ve always wanted to see mining done differently – both from a health and safety perspective as well as an environmental perspective,” he says. 

Digitalization and use of technology were integral to this mission, which is why, as CEO of Trevali Mining Corporate, Ricus and the Trevali team were first in the industry to use underground drones in Africa.

Release by Scatec, Mining Industry Solution.

The ‘too good to be true’ renewable energy solution for mines

While still serving in his CEO role, Ricus met Roberto Berardo from Scatec. Roberto told Ricus about a flexible, redeployable solar solution that seemed amazing – no capital, fast delivery and flexible contact period – almost too good to be true, Ricus recalls. 

“Finally. Here was an innovative, flexible solution that could get solar power deployed quickly to a mine.”

Ricus adds that Release really fed into his passion around climate change and presented the opportunity to truly do something significant in the industry to which he’d been so devoted. It was a way for him to help get as much renewable energy into the industry as fast as possible.

Release by Scatec, For Mining.

Release targets 100 MW of solar mines to mines in Africa

The Release team has set a goal to deploy 100 MW of solar power to mines in Africa within the next year. Getting there requires understanding the needs of the mines and speaking with the people who aim to power these mines with more affordable and cleaner solutions. He wants to make sure that others in the industry discover the benefits of Release and feel that same sense of amazement that he experienced.

“We are working to educate the industry about the renewable energy solutions available to them,” says Ricus. 

“I want to challenge all the leaders in mining and other industries that use carbon intensive electricity to reach out to me or the Release team to understand the opportunities that are available. We invite you to visit the Scatec Operations Centre in Cape Town to see for yourself how a world class renewable energy company operates its assets on a 24/7 basis.”

Arnaud Gouet is the SVP Utilities for Release by Scatec, and he’s dedicated to giving utility companies the bankability, flexibility and scalability they need to light up Africa and drive growth.

Arnaud Gouet, SVP Utilities.

Arnaud Gouet’s career, put simply, has been all about bringing electricity to people. He says that he’s found value in this, as “power brings so much”.

“We take it for granted all too often,” he says, “but electricity is really at the heart of development.”

The goal, he describes, is to give populations access to affordable electricity now, so they can grow. In many countries, growth is needed urgently, and they require a power system that can accommodate this immediate need. But the clean energy transition is complex, often requiring government support, infrastructure buildout and sometimes even grid modernisation. This takes time and money, which can be in short supply.

“At Scatec, we saw that we needed a better solution. We needed to get projects realised faster, so that countries could start benefiting now, not in 10 years from now,” he says.

The key to this, he says, is to give the utility companies in developing regions greater flexibility. They need access to a readily available source of energy to feed into what may be a weak grid. And they need the ability to use a mix of energy sources and vary those sources over time, depending on cost and availability.

“Utilities need a solution that enables them to keep their energy options open,” as Arnaud puts it.

Release: Simple contracts, simple installation.

Release gives utilities flexibility to vary energy sources over time

This is the context in which Release by Scatec is operating. Not every country or every utility company is in a position to embark on a lengthy power purchasing process, nor do they want to lock themselves into 25+ year agreements.

“We offer them a plug and play solution. They rent a redeployable solar and storage power plant from us for as long as they need it. They can combine the clean energy they generate from this with other sources and remain open to new sources of energy in the future,” Arnaud explains.

ENEO, a utility in North Cameroon, is already doing this with Release. Droughts have hit this country hard, and it has impacted their electricity supply, which is heavily dependent on hydropower. To remedy this power shortage, a typical process with a power producer would take years, leaving the people of Cameroon quite literally in the dark.

“Utilities are at the heart of development in Africa. If you don’t have power, you don’t have a functioning hospital, sanitation, or security. And you don’t develop. That’s really what we are solving with Release. People can’t wait five more years.”

Release’s partnership with ENEO was up and running within months, and today 26 MWp of photovoltaic (PV) is bringing more power to the grid. A 20 MWh grid-connected battery storage system (BESS), the biggest today in Africa, is hybridised with the PV plant to ensure grid stability. The first power was delivered six months after contract signing which makes it one of the fastest deployment of a PV project in the region, and it’s exactly what Africa needs. 

Release has also signed a 35 MWp solar PV plus 20 MWh storage plant in N’djamena, Chad. 

Release deployed, Cameroon.

“When you bring power, you get more and more users. This is suppressed demand, and it’s common in Africa. That means that the power solution must also scale, growing along with the grid and the demand. This is something that Release enables as well,” says Arnaud.

Release may be a fast solution but it doesn’t always have to be a short-term one, Arnaud is quick to clarify. Utilities can, for example, rent for 15 years and then take on ownership of the plant. The Release crew offers training to locals – so that they are empowered to run their own operations.

“Renting is simple and it’s quick,” says Arnaud. “It enables us to execute as fast as possible and start bringing affordable power to people now.”

Our SVP Roberto Berardo talks about how Release by Scatec is lowering the barrier to clean energy for the mining industry.

Roberto Berardo, SVP Mining.

Roberto Berardo has no doubts that the future will be electrified. He’s spent his career venturing into countries, working with utilities and governments, to build renewable power plants that electrify communities.

Along the way, he started to realise that the clean energy transition wasn’t exactly within reach for all. It can be perceived as complex, costly, often lengthy, and with many moving parts – which can serve as a barrier for certain industries.

This barrier is what Release by Scatec was designed to overcome. Today, Roberto is an SVP with the Release team, and his focus is on ensuring that the mining industry has access to affordable renewable energy.

“I came into the renewable energy industry because I was passionate about giving people the opportunity to produce their own power. When we (at Scatec) started developing Release, that’s when I saw this vision truly coming to life. Here was a solution that didn’t require heavy infrastructure, major investment, government concessions or long-term commitments.”

Release deployed, Cameroon.

Release is a simple and flexible way to bring renewable energy to mines

The concept behind Release is to deliver renewable energy in a simpler way. It’s a way for remote and off-grid mining operations, that may not have a long life of mine, to procure renewable energy quickly and easily, without requiring capital expenditure and lengthy approval processes.

“I think everyone is starting to realise that mining is critical to the energy transition. This is where we get the minerals to produce renewable energy technologies. But we’re fooling ourselves if we don’t think about how to power those mines in a sustainable way.”

Release powering hydrogen production.

Solar power meets cost and sustainability requirements of mines

A mine looking to transition to clean energy may be motivated in two ways. The first, according to Roberto, is the fact that solar power is now a cheaper way to power the mine – versus only relying on gas or diesel or other carbon-emitting power sources exclusively. The second, he says, relates to growing sustainability requirements and expectations from government, investors and other stakeholders.

“In addition to cost and sustainability, we also see that mines are vulnerable to supply chain challenges including importing fuel, a third factor in why solar makes sense.”

What doesn’t make sense for a mine, is to build fixed solar infrastructure for an operation that may not be there in five to ten years. Flexibility is key. The mine requires cost efficient power now, not in 10 years from now, which makes a leased and portable solar power plant a way for them to jump start their clean energy transition.

“Nearly everything in our daily lives comes from the mines, and mines have an opportunity to take the lead in using the clean energy solutions that they enable,” says Roberto. “And now we can give them what they need to produce their own power, all while cutting costs and reducing their emissions. It’s a win for mining and a win for the planet.”