Renewable Energy for BHP Billiton Framework and Application to BHP Billiton’S Global Assets
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2008 Renewable Energy for BHP Billiton Framework and Application to BHP Billiton’s Global Assets Prepared by, Priyanka Bandyopadhyay Anthony Gross Michael Hartley Jeffrey LeBrun Ali Moazed University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise A project submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science School of Natural Resources and Environment University of Michigan Ann Arbor April 2008 Faculty Advisor: Professor Gregory A. Keoleian A copy of this report can be found online at: http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/35325 Renewable Energy for BHP Billiton Page ii y Special thanks to our sponsors Renewable Energy for BHP Billiton Page iii y Acknowledgements This report represents the efforts and contributions of a many individuals and institutions. We would first like to thank project sponsors BHP Billiton, the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan, and Frederick A. & Barbara M. Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan. We are especially grateful to project sponsors Paul Doetsch and Steven Antalics for making this project possible. We would also like to extend our gratitude to our faculty advisor Professor Gregory Keoleian, co-director of the Center for Sustainable Systems, for sharing his knowledge and advice. Sergio Ramagem of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Professor Boaventura Cuamba of Eduardo Mondlane University, and Derek Higgo, Carlos Moamba, Imran Shiran, and the staff at Corridor Sands Limitada provided tremendous support and insight for our work in Mozambique. Tricia Wallace, Rakesh Gupta, Juma Juma, and Jake Walter from TechnoServe Mozambique as well as Luis Leones, Steve Collins, and Andres Mostert also supported our insight into energy crop cultivation in Mozambique. Georgina Jones, Greg Huggins, Emil von Maltitz, and Katherine Maasdorp from Coastal and Environmental Services also provided great advice and context during our visit to Mozambique. We would also like to acknowledge the invaluable support offered by Pablo Medina, Bernardo Tapia, Loreto Campo, Mauricio Ortiz, Linda Broughton, and Mike Anglin in Chile. Mario Andres Pavez Ovalle also offered great insight on the value of wind power relative to the proposed Chilean renewable portfolio standard. We are indebted to Professor Andy Hoffman for his advice and particularly for his work in Carbon Strategies: How Leading Companies Are Reducing Their Climate Change Footprint. The framework in this text served as a foundation for our own framework, and his work provides some of the basis for ours. We would like to acknowledge the Ross School of Business MAP team Caroline Koskinas, Matt McMurtry, Sonal Singla, Ariel Sznajder, and Yuting “Tina” Wei for sharing their work and insights. Their initial assessment of the Corridor Sands site proved extremely valuable for our work. We would also like to recognize the advice and support provided by Alan Cuddon, Ritva Muhlbauer, Alex Green, and Edwin Mongan at BHP Billiton. Professor Gautam Kaul aided the development of our financial models and our understanding of risk, real options, and the valuation of social benefits. Renewable Energy for BHP Billiton Page iv y Dr. Daniel R. Gross, Dr. Nicholas Kottak, Professor Arun Agrawal, and Professor Maria Carmen Lemos provided additional support on the social considerations in Mozambique. Doug Franke in South Africa and Mark Tholke of enXco have been great sources of advice. We would also like to thank Mike Cundy and Lisa Hopeman for their work on geothermal energy. Finally, we are deeply grateful to our families and our partners and spouses Elizabeth Anderson, Matilda Bode, Jayaram Iyer, and Anna Ruszaj for their vital support and patience. Renewable Energy for BHP Billiton Page v y Table of Contents Acronyms & Abbreviations ................................................................................ xi Chapter 1: Executive Summary .......................................................................... 13 Context and Project Description ........................................................................................................... 14 Asset Evaluations and Recommendations ........................................................................................... 16 Framework for Evaluating Renewable Energy Options .................................................................... 17 Key Insights and Findings ...................................................................................................................... 19 Chapter 2: Introduction and Background ......................................................... 22 Definition of Renewable Energy ........................................................................................................... 23 Drivers for Renewable Energy .............................................................................................................. 23 The Metals and Mining Industry and Sustainable Development ..................................................... 29 BHP Billiton ............................................................................................................................................. 31 Evaluating Renewable Energy Options ................................................................................................ 40 Methodology ............................................................................................................................................. 41 Chapter 3: Technology Overview ...................................................................... 43 Chapter 4: Framework for Evaluating Renewable Energy ............................... 47 Intent and Scope ...................................................................................................................................... 48 Introduction to the Renewable Energy Framework ........................................................................... 48 Step 1: Understand the Base Case ......................................................................................................... 52 Step 2: Identify Drivers and Develop Goals for Renewable Energy ............................................... 55 Step 3: Select and Prioritize Criteria ...................................................................................................... 60 Step 4: Assess Renewable Resources .................................................................................................... 66 Step 5: Identify Viable Technologies Based on Resources ................................................................ 68 Step 6: Match Viable Technologies to Renewable Energy Needs and Goals ................................. 68 Step 7: Develop and Evaluate Project Concepts ................................................................................ 69 Supplemental Exhibits ............................................................................................................................ 72 Chapter 5: Resource Assessment Toolkit .......................................................... 81 Intent of the Toolkit ................................................................................................................................ 82 Solar ........................................................................................................................................................... 82 Wind .......................................................................................................................................................... 86 Biomass ..................................................................................................................................................... 90 Supplemental Exhibits ......................................................................................................................... 101 Chapter 6: Technology Assessment Toolkit .................................................... 110 Intent of the Toolkit ............................................................................................................................. 111 Key Concepts ........................................................................................................................................ 111 Solar Photovoltaics ............................................................................................................................... 114 Renewable Energy for BHP Billiton Page vi y Concentrated Solar Thermal Power ................................................................................................... 122 Wind Power ........................................................................................................................................... 135 Biomass Combustion and Gasification ............................................................................................. 142 Supplemental Exhibits ......................................................................................................................... 159 Chapter 7: Framework Application to Minera Escondida Limitada ............... 169 Scope ...................................................................................................................................................... 170 Minera Escondida Limitada (MEL) Site Background ..................................................................... 170 Framework Application 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