Economic and Technical Evaluation of Solar-Assisted Water Pump Stations for Mining Applications: A Case of Study

Nowadays, energy and water are some of the most important issues facing the mining industry. Many mines are located in desert areas, and they need to pump water from isolated wells or from the ocean. Therefore, in order to satisfy the water demand, many high-power water pump stations are required. The operation of these systems is expensive due to the high energy cost. This paper presents a case of study of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system to assist the operation of a water pump station of a mineral processing operation in Chile. An economical analysis is carried out with respect to different design variables and the percentage of the total power required for operating the system in the less favorable conditions (degree of assistance). It is demonstrated that the maximum net present value is obtained for the maximum assistance, i.e., supplying the full energy in the less favorable conditions. However, the internal rate of return will be maximized at the point where the system only supplies the energy to satisfy the full demand at the most favorable conditions. Finally, the study shows that from an economical point of view, PV technology is an attractive alternative to support the mining operation at present time.