Off-grid & Remote — HOMER Pro
Cut fuel costs and power risk at remote extraction sites
HOMER Pro models hybrid power systems for mines, drilling operations, and processing facilities—finding the optimal mix of renewables, diesel, and storage to reduce fuel logistics by up to 50% while maintaining 24/7 industrial-grade reliability.
The hidden cost of remote power: fuel logistics eat into margins
Mining and extraction operations in remote locations can spend $5–15 million annually on diesel fuel alone—and that figure doubles when you factor in transport logistics, storage infrastructure, spill remediation, and generator maintenance. With commodity prices compressing margins, operators who fail to optimize their energy systems leave significant profit on the table. Meanwhile, ESG reporting requirements and investor pressure demand measurable carbon reduction.
Critical pain points
Why diesel-heavy operations lose margin
Massive fuel logistics
Trucking diesel to remote mines costs $1.50–3.00+ per liter delivered. Some Arctic and mountain operations rely on seasonal ice roads or helicopter delivery, multiplying costs further.
Volatile operating costs
Diesel price swings of 30–50% can blow annual energy budgets. Without renewables to hedge fuel exposure, mine economics become unpredictable.
24/7 uptime demands
Processing plants, ventilation systems, and dewatering pumps cannot tolerate outages. Any interruption risks equipment damage, safety incidents, and production losses worth millions per day.
ESG & investor pressure
Mining companies face increasing demands from investors, regulators, and communities to reduce carbon intensity. Scope 1 and 2 emissions from on-site diesel generation are now scrutinised in every sustainability report.
Hybrid power modeling built for industrial-scale remote operations
HOMER Pro enables mine energy managers and EPCs to design the optimal power system for any remote site—balancing capital cost, fuel savings, reliability requirements, and emissions targets. The software simulates hourly operations across an entire year, testing thousands of system configurations to find the one that delivers the lowest lifecycle cost while meeting your uptime standards.
Core modeling advantages
Built for confident decisions
Industrial Load Modeling
Import your site's real load profile—including shift patterns, seasonal processing variation, and peak demands from crushers, mills, and HVAC—to simulate accurate hourly operations across a full year.
Multi-Source Optimization
Evaluate every viable combination of solar PV, wind, battery storage, and existing diesel gensets. HOMER finds the least-cost design that meets your reliability constraints automatically.
Fuel Risk Sensitivity
Run hundreds of "what if" scenarios: diesel at $1.50 vs. $2.50/L, solar costs declining 5% per year, load growing as the mine expands. See exactly how your optimal system shifts under uncertainty.
Additional Capabilities
- +Multi-Year module: Model the full mine lifecycle—from ramp-up through peak production to closure—with changing load profiles, equipment degradation, and fuel price escalation.
- +MATLAB Link: Write custom dispatch algorithms for complex industrial processes with time-of-use constraints, priority loads, and dynamic generator scheduling.
- +Advanced Storage: Accurately model battery performance under extreme temperatures—Arctic cold or desert heat—using the Modified Kinetic Battery Model.
- +Combined Heat & Power: For operations with heating demands, model CHP systems that capture waste heat from generators.
Use Case: Hybrid power for a northern Canadian open-pit mine
The Situation
A gold mining operation 400 km from the nearest grid connection in northern Canada spends $12 million annually on diesel fuel, delivered via winter ice roads. The mine runs three shifts with a peak electrical load of 8 MW for processing, ventilation, dewatering, and camp services. The company's board has committed to reducing Scope 1 emissions by 40% within 5 years as part of its ESG strategy.
What Was Modeled
Using HOMER Pro, the mine's energy consultant modeled the site's detailed 8,760-hour load profile. They evaluated configurations combining 3–6 MW solar PV, 2–4 MW wind (cold-climate rated), 5–20 MWh lithium-ion battery storage, and the existing 5 x 2.5 MW diesel generators. The Multi-Year module projected system performance over the remaining 12-year mine life. MATLAB Link modeled a priority dispatch algorithm guaranteeing ventilation and dewatering loads are always served first.
The Outcome
The optimal design: 4.5 MW solar + 3 MW wind + 12 MWh battery + 3 existing diesel generators (2 decommissioned). This achieves 45% renewable penetration, reduces annual diesel consumption by 3.8 million litres, saves $4.1 million per year in fuel costs, and cuts Scope 1 CO2 emissions by 42%—meeting the board's ESG target. The bankable HOMER report was used to secure project financing from a major infrastructure fund.
Real-World Applications
| Location / Client | Project Type | Key Result |
|---|---|---|
| Namibia marble factory | Off-grid renewable microgrid for industrial facility | Energy costs reduced to ~50% of grid-equivalent pricing with improved reliability |
| Qatar desert farm (QEERI) | Off-grid hybrid system for remote agricultural/industrial operation | HOMER-modeled system operating successfully in extreme heat conditions |
| Northern Canada mining industry | Hybrid solar-diesel systems for remote extraction operations | Published research showing 35% cost and emissions reductions vs. diesel-only |
| Costa Rica manufacturing | Hybrid energy system at manufacturing facility | Reduced energy costs and emissions, positioning facility as sustainability leader |
Recommended HOMER Products
HOMER Pro
Self-sufficiency and resilience
Purpose-built for off-grid system design at any scale. Models the exact combination of solar, wind, diesel, battery, and thermal generation that minimises lifecycle cost while meeting industrial uptime requirements. The only tool trusted by mining EPCs and development banks worldwide.
Key Modules: Multi-Year, MATLAB Link, Advanced Storage, Combined Heat & Power, Hydro
Supporting Services
Advisory Services
UL Solutions engineers provide independent feasibility studies, system design review, and bankability reports—the exact deliverables mining companies need for board approval and project financing.
Learn More →Engineer Hours
Hire a HOMER specialist to build your site model alongside your engineering team. Ideal for first-time users or complex multi-load mine configurations.
Learn More →Ready to cut fuel costs and emissions at your remote operation?
Whether you're optimizing an existing mine's power system or designing energy infrastructure for a greenfield project, HOMER Pro delivers the bankable techno-economic analysis your investors and board demand.