Application guide · Temporary site power
Solar Power for Mining Camps: Hybrid Plant Design and Cost
Solar power for mining camp sites is an exercise in displacing diesel, not in going off-grid. A 150-person camp with air-conditioned rooms, a kitchen, a workshop and a water pump draws 80–150 kW continuously, and no battery you can economically ship will carry that overnight. The design that works is a PV array and a modest battery placed in parallel with the existing diesel generator, controlled so the generator runs at 70–85% load for fewer hours instead of 40% load all day.
Typical camp load
60–150 kW
Array
100–250 kWp
Fuel saving
40–60%
This page sets out how we size those plants for gold, copper and construction camps in Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria: the camp load table, three hybrid tiers from a 60 kW exploration camp to a 150 kW permanent camp, indicative EXW cost bands, the dust and heat derating that decides real yield, and the control logic that stops the generator from hunting.
Why camp solar is a diesel-displacement problem
A 250 kVA generator at a 100 kW camp load runs at 40% of rating. At that point a diesel set burns 22–26 litres an hour and its specific fuel consumption is 15–20% worse than at 75% load, so the camp pays twice: once for fuel it does not need, and again in engine wear from light-load running and wet stacking.
Fuel logistics dominate the cost. A camp 300 km from the nearest depot pays USD 1.25–1.60 a litre delivered, and a 24/7 site at 24 litres an hour burns 576 litres a day — USD 720–920 daily, or USD 260,000–335,000 a year for a single camp. A 100 kWp array with a 120 kWh buffer typically displaces 45–55% of that in year one.
The engineering risk is not the array, it is the generator control. If the PV is allowed to offset load without a minimum-load constraint, the generator drops below 30% and starts to coke; if the battery is too small, every cloud edge causes a load step the generator cannot follow. Both are solved in the controller, not by buying more panels.
- ✓Generator running at 40% load, 15–20% worse specific fuel consumption
- ✓Delivered diesel at USD 1.25–1.60/litre, 300 km from depot
- ✓Light-load running causing wet stacking and engine rebuilds at 8,000 hours
- ✓Cloud-edge load steps tripping the generator breaker
- ✓Dust on the array cutting yield 10–20% within six weeks if not washed
Typical camp load values
Camp load is dominated by cooling and by the kitchen peak. The table is a 150-person camp; multiply the accommodation line by the room count and check the kitchen against the generator rating, because it is the largest single step load on site.
| Item | Power | Hours | Daily energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, 60 rooms (AC, lights, plugs) | 45 kW | 14 h | 630 kWh |
| Kitchen and mess (electric cooking) | 35 kW | 4 h | 140 kWh |
| Workshop and laydown | 18 kW | 8 h | 144 kWh |
| Water pump and treatment | 15 kW | 10 h | 150 kWh |
| Site lighting, security, comms | 8 kW | 12 h | 96 kWh |
Reference camp: 1,160 kWh a day and a 110–130 kW coincident peak. A 100 kWp array in Ghana or South Africa yields 380–430 kWh a day, so it covers roughly a third of daily energy directly and the rest of the saving comes from running the generator at its efficient point and letting the battery shave the peaks.
Recommended configurations
All three tiers keep the existing generator as the backbone and add PV plus a battery that is large enough to smooth cloud edges — typically 45–90 minutes of camp load, not hours. The controller is the part that makes the saving real.
| Tier | PV array | Battery | Power electronics | Serves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 — exploration camp, 30 kW | 40 kWp (174 × 230 W) | 32 kWh LFP | 50 kW PV inverter + 50 kW bidirectional | 30 kW load, 40–50% fuel saving |
| C2 — 150-person camp, 110 kW | 100 kWp (435 × 230 W) | 120 kWh cabinet | 100 kW PV + 100 kW bidirectional | 110 kW load, 45–55% fuel saving |
| C3 — permanent camp + plant, 250 kW | 250 kWp (1,087 × 230 W) | 2 × 120 kWh cabinets | 250 kW PV + 200 kW bidirectional | 250 kW load, 35–45% fuel saving |
Size the battery for the largest step load, not for autonomy. If the kitchen draws 35 kW and the generator needs 30% minimum load to stay healthy, a 60 kWh buffer lets the PV carry the kitchen for 40 minutes while the generator stays online at its efficient point.
Indicative cost ranges (USD, EXW Ningbo)
Bands cover modules, mounting, PV inverters, bidirectional converter and LFP storage. They exclude the generator, MV/LV switchgear, civil works, freight, installation and commissioning, which for a remote camp add 25–40%.
| Item | Specification | Indicative range |
|---|---|---|
| C1 kit — 40 kWp | 174 × 230 W · 32 kWh LFP · 50 kW converter | USD 22,000 – 27,500 |
| C2 kit — 100 kWp | 435 × 230 W · 120 kWh cabinet · 100 kW converter | USD 58,000 – 71,000 |
| C3 kit — 250 kWp | 1,087 × 230 W · 240 kWh · 250 kW converter | USD 145,000 – 176,000 |
| Ground mount, fixed 15° | Hot-dip galvanised, 150 km/h, ballast or pile | USD 38 – 52 / module |
| Dust monitoring + wash kit | Soiling sensor, 2 m³/h wash pump | USD 1,200 – 2,400 |
- Indicative EXW ranges; final pricing depends on module count, storage tier, converter brand and port. A camp load log changes the battery size more than the array.
- Fuel comparison at USD 1.40/litre delivered: a 110 kW camp spends USD 290,000–340,000 a year on diesel; a C2 plant saving 50% pays back in 10–14 months.
- Mine sites usually require a full technical file (single-line, arc-flash, protection settings) with the quotation — budget engineering time for it.
All prices on this page are indicative EXW ranges compiled from current container quotations. They are not a binding offer: freight, duties, installation and exchange rates move, and the final price is issued after we receive your load list and delivery port.
Local adaptation: voltage, climate and certification
Mine camps are specified by the owner's engineering team against local electrical and mining codes, so the equipment list has to match the site standard, not a generic export spec.
| Market | Grid & code | Climate | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 230/400 V, 50 Hz; SANS 10142-1, Mine Health and Safety Act | −5 °C to 40 °C, dust, hail, Highveld lightning | SANS 10142-1 CoC, NRS 097-2-1 if grid-tied |
| Ghana | 230/400 V, 50 Hz; Energy Commission, Minerals Commission | 32–38 °C, high humidity, harmattan dust Dec–Feb | EC registration, GS cables, IEC 61215 modules |
| Nigeria | 230/400 V, 50 Hz; NEMSA inspection, NERC for captive power | 40 °C, dust, high lightning density | SONCAP, NEMSA, NERC captive generation permit |
| Philippines | 220/380 V, 60 Hz — 60 Hz converters required | Typhoon 250 km/h, 2,000 mm rain, volcanic ash | DOE compliance, ERC for self-generation |
Installation and control points
Log the camp load for two weeks
A 15-minute interval logger on the generator output gives the peak, the night base and the kitchen step. Camps are almost always 20–30% oversized on generator rating because nobody measured.
Keep the generator above 30% load
Set a minimum-load constraint in the controller and let the battery absorb the difference. Below 30% the set wet-stacks, and the rebuild at 8,000 hours costs more than the fuel saved.
Tilt for dust shedding
15–20° in West Africa, 25–30° in South Africa, and never flat. A 5° increase in tilt is worth more yield on a dusty site than an extra 5% of array.
Wash on a schedule tied to soiling data
A soiling sensor plus a 2 m³/h wash pump pays for itself in one quarter at a mine site. Unwashed arrays in harmattan lose 10–20% within six weeks and never recover that month.
Build the array for relocation
Ballasted or pile-driven frames with modular DC harnesses, so a camp that moves in 18 months takes the array with it. Concrete foundations are money left behind.
Integrate with the site SCADA
Modbus TCP into the plant control room, with alarms on generator starts, battery SOC and soiling. The saving only holds if someone sees the array stop producing.
Hardware for this scenario
Storage and modules for camp-scale hybrid plants. Send the generator log and the camp layout and we will return a hybrid single-line with the array, battery and control setpoints.
DLXN-GC100/120 outdoor cabinet
The 100–120 kWh LFP cabinet built for exactly this: an outdoor mine site, 0–50 °C, with a busbar that takes a 100 kW inverter and a second battery string without re-terminating.
View specifications →
DLXN-M10-230W module
A 100 kWp array is 435 modules; the 230 W format keeps strings at 18 and the DC cable runs short on a 60 × 40 m hardstand.
View specifications →
DLXN-F5400 51.2 V 400 Ah
20.48 kWh blocks for camps that need 40–60 kWh of buffer rather than a full cabinet, mounted in the site container beside the switchgear.
View specifications →
DLXN-F5628 51.2 V 628 Ah
32 kWh per pack for the drill-rig and exploration camp market, where the load is 20–30 kW and the site moves every 12–18 months.
View specifications →
Market pages and next steps
Frequently asked questions
How much does solar power for a mining camp cost?
A 100 kWp array with a 120 kWh LFP cabinet and a 100 kW bidirectional converter is USD 58,000–71,000 EXW. A 40 kWp exploration camp kit is USD 22,000–27,500 and a 250 kWp permanent camp plant USD 145,000–176,000. Freight, installation and civil works add 25–40% on a remote site.
How much diesel does a camp solar plant actually save?
A properly controlled 100 kWp plant on a 110 kW camp displaces 45–55% of annual diesel, because it covers daytime load directly and lets the generator run at 70–85% load for fewer hours. At USD 1.40 a litre delivered, a camp burning 576 litres a day saves USD 130,000–160,000 a year, which pays back the plant in 10–14 months.
Can the camp run on solar and battery alone at night?
Not economically. A 110 kW camp for 10 night hours needs over 1 MWh of storage — roughly USD 180,000 of LFP — to replace a generator that costs USD 25,000. The correct design keeps the generator overnight and uses PV plus a 45–90 minute battery buffer to cut daytime fuel and improve generator loading.
How does dust affect yield at a mine site?
Soiling losses at an unpaved mine site run 1–2% a day, so 10–20% within six weeks without rain. Design with 15–30° tilt for shedding, a soiling sensor, and a wash interval of 3–6 weeks. Budget the water and labour in the O&M contract, because the fuel saving disappears silently otherwise.
Will the plant work with the existing generator?
Yes, that is the design premise. The PV inverter and bidirectional converter parallel with the generator at the LV bus, and the controller enforces a minimum generator load of 30%, a maximum PV penetration of 60–70% of instantaneous load, and a battery buffer sized to the largest step load. No generator replacement is needed.
Send the generator log
Share two weeks of generator kWh, the camp layout, the fuel price delivered to site and the nearest port. We will return a hybrid single-line, control setpoints and EXW pricing within three working days.
- Email:
- dlxn@dlxnsolar.com
- Delivery ports:
- Durban · Lagos · Tema · Manila
- Basis:
- EXW Ningbo / CIF
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