Cogeneration — also known as combined heat and power (CHP) — is the simultaneous production of electricity and useful thermal energy (heat or steam) from a single fuel source within an integrated energy generation system. In energy-intensive mining operations such as bauxite refining, gold processing, iron ore smelting, and diamond recovery, cogeneration systems offer significant potential to improve overall energy efficiency and reduce operating costs. Rather than separately generating electricity from a power station and heat from dedicated boilers — each with inherent losses — cogeneration captures and utilises waste heat from electricity generation, thereby achieving total system efficiencies of 70 to 90 percent compared to roughly 35 to 45 percent for conventional power generation alone. In bauxite refineries, for example, large quantities of steam are required for the Bayer process to digest bauxite into alumina; cogeneration systems can simultaneously supply this process steam and generate electricity, reducing dependence on external power grids. The adoption of cogeneration in mining supports greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and can enhance energy security for remote operations.
