INSTANT - Use Case

Camera-based forecasting for a hybrid gold mine in Mali

ISOLATED INDUSTRIAL CONTEXT 

Guaranteeing a stable supply without storage in a complex microgrid

CalibSun's INSTANT service, based on hemispherical cameras and nowcasting algorithms, now enables one of Africa's largest mining sites to maximize reliance on solar power and avoid power drops

At the Loulo site in Mali, mining giant BARRICK Gold, the world's second-largest gold producer, has integrated 24 MWp of photovoltaics into its energy system, historically powered by heavy fuel oil and diesel generators. The aim: reduce greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs, while maintaining a reliable power supply in an environment totally isolated from the grid.

This technological challenge was successfully met thanks to the collaboration between AFRICAN POWER SERVICES (EMS integration and control), SPIE Industrie & Tertiaire (camera installation and maintenance) and CalibSun, with scientific support from MINES Paris - PSL & ARMINES.

INSTANT anticipates variations in photovoltaic production by detecting clouds up to 50 km away, using a network of fisheye cameras. The system sends up-to-the-second forecasts to the energy management system, enabling the thermal generators to be started or reduced 15 minutes before solar production falls.

CONCRETE RESULTS

Proven environmental and economic benefits from the very first year

• 15.6 megaliters of fossil fuels avoided in one year
• 42,050 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved

This success has enabled BARRICK Gold to double its on-site solar capacity by 2024. The initial "test & learn" approach on 20 MWp proved the maturity of the forecasting technologies developed by CalibSun and its partners.