Decentralised Renewable Energy Solutions for Inclusive and Sustainable Mining

The report argues that integrating DRE infrastructure to power both mines and local communities—termed 'inclusive mining'—can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower operational costs, and catalyse rural socio-economic development. It identifies key barriers such as complex energy regulations, limited local technical skills, and the high upfront capital costs of renewable systems. Through four case studies in Australia, Madagascar, and Mali, the document demonstrates various models for community electrification, including shared microgrids, indirect feeding into local grids, and the repurposing of end-of-life mines. The authors recommend establishing inclusive governance structures, investing in productive use of renewable energy (PURE) to stimulate demand, and embedding a gender lens to ensure equitable benefit sharing.

• The mining sector is a major contributor to global emissions, with 62% of its energy derived from fossil fuels and accounting for 4-7% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The industry faces increasing energy demands, projected to rise by 36% by 2035 due to growing mineral demand for clean energy technologies like electric vehicles.
• Implementing 'inclusive mining'—the shared use of DRE infrastructure for both mines and nearby communities—addresses multiple challenges, including the fact that 759 million people globally lack electricity access and 2.8 billion suffer from unreliable services.
• Several systemic challenges hinder the adoption of shared DRE infrastructure, including a lack of clear policy guidelines, limited workforce awareness and technical skills in remote areas, and a mismatch between the long-term nature of renewable energy Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and the shorter lifespans of mines.
• To ensure project sustainability, the report recommends investing in 'productive uses of renewable energy' (PURE) and entrepreneurial training to catalyse electricity demand in sparsely populated remote communities.
• Gender inequality in mining regions leads to missed socio-economic opportunities; the report argues that including women in negotiations and decision-making ensures that energy access benefits are shared more equally.
• Case studies illustrate diverse DRE application models: 247Solar in Australia uses a hybrid microgrid to power a mine and 50% of a local community; CrossBoundary Energy in Madagascar reduces regional grid carbon intensity by 60% by exporting mine-generated power to the local grid; and New H2o Resources in Australia demonstrates the repurposing of the Haenke Coal Mine into a renewable power plant.

APA

Alliance for Renewable Electrification (n.d.). Decentralised Renewable Energy Solutions for Inclusive and Sustainable Mining. https://www.renewelec.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DRE-for-Inclusive-Sustainable-Mining_Web-Publication.pdf

Chicago

Alliance for Renewable Electrification. Decentralised Renewable Energy Solutions for Inclusive and Sustainable Mining. n.d. https://www.renewelec.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DRE-for-Inclusive-Sustainable-Mining_Web-Publication.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Alliance for Renewable Electrification |title=Decentralised Renewable Energy Solutions for Inclusive and Sustainable Mining |url=https://www.renewelec.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DRE-for-Inclusive-Sustainable-Mining_Web-Publication.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{allianceforrenewableelectrificationnddecentralised, author = {{Alliance for Renewable Electrification}}, title = {{Decentralised Renewable Energy Solutions for Inclusive and Sustainable Mining}}, institution = {Alliance for Renewable Electrification}, url = {https://www.renewelec.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DRE-for-Inclusive-Sustainable-Mining_Web-Publication.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }