Arctic mining with wind power
The Sydvaranger mine outside Kirkenes, Norway, wants to become one of the first ever mines running on wind energy.
Together with the Troms Kraft company, the Sydvaranger Mine intends to invest about 700 million NOK (80 mill EUR) on the acquisition and erection of 20 windmills. That will be enough to fuel mining operations, company representative Per Helge Høgaas told newspaper Sør-Varanger Avis.
-We have a time perspective of 20 years and will need 150-200 GWh with peak production. This windmill park will match that demand, Mr. Høgaas maintains. He added to the newspaper that existing infrastructure in the area and the heavy machinery of the mining company will make the erection of the windmills go quickly and smoothly.
The mining in the Sydvaranger mine is planned started this year. The windmill park however is unlikely to stand ready before after 2014.
In a meeting with the press this week, the Sydvaranger company also stated that it intends to buy services in the Kirkenes region worth 100 million NOK (11.3 million EUR).
The coast along the Barents Sea is considered among the best places in the world for wind energy generation. As BarentsObserver has reported, also Russian companies have major wind power plans in the area. Wind parks are also considered built in connection with the Shtokman project.