Creating new opportunities
The Forum noted that the cost of renewables is falling dramatically, driven by innovation, wide-scale adoption and strong competition. The exponential pace of technological development is creating new opportunities for real cost savings and significant carbon footprint reduction.
A surprisingly wide range of renewables was discussed, including thermal solar and biomass, raising the possibility of fundamentally changing the way we approach the mining process. Biomass in particular — the ability to generate power from waste, while closing the loop with water, power and fertiliser — is an attractive area to explore.
Despite the wide range of topics discussed, a number of common themes emerged. For example, the need for robust, low-cost pervasive sensing of physical and chemical attributes — such as flow rate, temperature and density — was a topic raised at all our previous FutureSmartTMforums (水, Processing and Mining).
By working with our colleagues across the Group and our new partners from the Energy Open Forum, we will be able to incorporate some of the energy projects directly into our current innovation project portfolio. These research projects came on-stream on the back of last year’s Open Forums and give momentum to our FutureSmartTMinnovation programme — as well as to the growing wave of innovation sweeping across the industry.
FutureSmart的终极目标TMis to transform the way we think about mining, through a step change value uplift and reduction of our physical environmental footprint, propelling us into the next phase of mining evolution. The conversations generated at the energy Open Forum are helping us move in the right direction.