How has Adria Power Systems (Adria) strategically positioned itself to capitalize on the upcoming energy transition?

Adria manufactures electrical equipment, particularly for underground mining operations. The company has over 25 years of experience and close to 100 employees. Ten years ago, we noticed precursors to change in the industry and began developing battery charging technology for mining equipment. In 2012, we were in the R&D stage, focused primarily on gaining experience and knowledge. Over the years, we solidified our understandings of trends through watching closely as the technology evolved.

Where are we today in the electrification of mining?

Kirkland Lake Gold was the first to use battery-powered equipment back in 2012. Many people in the sector doubted it would work. Five years passed and people were interested but still required more data and a broader market. Now, battrification repeatedly makes the news in the mining world. Glencore recently announced that its entire fleet at the Onaping Depth mine will be fully electric, from scoop trams to small Jeeps, and the equipment providers have actually received their purchase orders. That is a monumental step.

At the same time, we are seeing research switch from focusing on one specific way of doing things to looking at everything. There are multiple ways to accumulate energy at a high rate, making it tough to decide which chemistry to use when building the battery for a 400-ton mining truck. We know batteries are the future, but which batteries?

How are Adria’s chargers future-proof when it comes to the evolution of battery technology?

Our chargers are high power systems with multiple outlets of low power. What makes them so compatible with not only the technology of today but also the technology of the future is that each output can be bridged together to accumulate power, thereby generating one output of higher power. Charging infrastructure is expensive. If there is new battery technology in five years with significantly better performance that requires higher power to charge, you will not need to change your preexisting infrastructure if you have an Adria charger. You will be able to simply bridge outputs together with a touchscreen. Our megawatt charger that will soon be implemented at Nouveau Monde Graphite will be a game changer for this reason.

Why has Adria chosen to keep its chargers brand agnostic?

We are not tied to any OEM, which is exactly where we want to be. If an OEM were to provide its own charging infrastructure, it would not be in their interest to make it compatible with equipment from other manufacturers. That is where we come in. After discussions with several strategic actors, I realized big mining operators do not realize the power they have today. They think if they choose one manufacturer, they will be stuck with their specific charging infrastructure for life, rather than recognizing they have the leverage to use a universal charging system like the type Adria provides and simply request the OEM use a particular connectivity in the machine.

This will soon change. The first iteration of disruptive technology is the antithesis of standardized. That said, we are now at a point where the industry is asking for it. The Global Mining Guidelines group (GMG) recently released a guideline for the implementation of electric machinery in a mine, detailing recommendations of standardization. Adria is brand agnostic when it comes to electric equipment, and that is our main advantage. We are not here to sell machines, but rather electrical infrastructure. Adria has spent the past decade preparing to assist in this inevitable push for standardization.

What excites you when thinking about the future of electrification in mining?

I am eager to see what direction electrification will go over the next five years. No matter which way things turn, there will be a major disruption. I also see a big merge between autonomous and electrified machinery. Currently, these are two axes developing in high speed that have not yet come together. When they do, it will take the industry to the next level.