[CPEO-BIF] "Repowering old mines with new [solar] energies in the southwestern United States"

[Lenny Siegel]

Repowering old mines with new energies in the southwestern United States

by Paolo Natali
Green Biz
April 3, 2019

A common challenge that mining companies face with legacy sites is what to do with the disturbed land once the resource has been exhausted or extraction no longer is profitable. After closure, mines need to undergo a long process of reclamation. At this stage, the reputation of mining companies — their social license to operate — becomes tied to the fate of the townships that used to provide the labor force for the mines, and that are oftentimes searching for a new identity. But, mining communities in the Southwestern United States have another resource that can be mined: the sun. These communities, at risk of disappearing after mining operations have ended, can be greatly aided by renewable energy installations on former mine sites.

Over the last several years, Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI’s) Sunshine for Mines Initiative has embarked on several key partnerships with mining companies on the redevelopment of closed mine sites in the Southwest.

…

For the entire article, see
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/repowering-old-mines-new-energies-southwestern-united-states

--

Lenny Siegel
Executive Director
Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
P.O. Box 998, Mountain View, CA 94042
Voice/Fax: 650/961-8918 
<lsiegel at cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org