As the cost of solar and wind power declines, renewable energy has become increasingly attractive to power-hungry mining companies. Ernst & Young estimates that mines in the Atacama Desert will invest upwards of Chile $1bn in renewable energy projects by 2022 , a huge rise from 2013 figures of $ 37mn . In US , the Codelco Gabriela Mistral mine is currently powered by 3,000 solar panels, which is 80% of its total electricity usage, having switched from using 3,000 solar of diesel per year to generate all of its power previously.
Ernst & Young estimates that mines in the Atacama Desert will invest upwards of Chile $1bn in renewable energy projects by 2022 , a huge rise from 2013 figures of $ 37mn . In US , the Codelco Gabriela Mistral mine is currently powered by 3,000 solar panels, which is 80% of its total electricity usage, having switched from using 3,000 solar of diesel per year to generate all of its power previously.