Middelburg Mine Cuts Energy Use with Solahart Solar Hot Water & Heat Pump Hybrid System
Detailed Case Study
Client: BHP Billiton Middelburg Mine
Location: Mpumalanga, South Africa
Industry: Mining
Challenge:
Middelburg Mine operates three shifts with 400 miners each, requiring extensive hot water for showers and laundry across five change houses. The mine needed a cost-effective, energy-efficient solution to meet a daily demand of 87,000 litres of hot water at 60°C.
Solution:
Solahart, in partnership with Selected Energy, engineered a Commercial Solar and Heat Pump Hybrid System to meet these high demands. The system includes:
- 200 Solahart BT Solar Collectors (400 m² total)
- 5 x 5000L Heat Store II tanks (25,000 litres total) with electric boosting
- 10 x 16 kW Solahart Commercial Heat Pumps
This hybrid approach combines solar water heating with advanced heat pump technology, ensuring a reliable hot water supply day and night, rain or shine. Heat pumps operate with a Coefficient of Performance (COP) > 4.0, meaning over 75% of the energy used is drawn from the atmosphere.
Results:
- Energy Savings: 1,200,000 kWh annually
- CO₂ Reduction: 1,550 tonnes per year (compared to coal-fired power)
- Operational Efficiency: Significant reduction in reliance on fossil fuels
By leveraging renewable energy and efficient heat pump technology, Middelburg Mine now enjoys sustainable hot water production with substantial cost and environmental benefits.
