German electric mobility nonprofit Charging Interface Initiative e.V. (CharIN) and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) have partnered to launch the CharIN Mining Taskforce to electrify mining haul truck operations by addressing technical bottlenecks around the interoperability of battery-electric charging systems for the roll-out of zero-emission mining vehicles.
Diesel-powered mining vehicles currently account for 30-50% of direct emissions at a mine site and up to 80% in some cases, and electrifying them will be crucial to help achieve global decarbonization goals.
“A new high-power charging solution is needed for the mining industry due to the large size of haul trucks,” said the press release. “Addressing interoperability and standardization for charging solutions early on could help to reduce duplication in charging infrastructure for mines around the world – an important step in accelerating the implementation of battery-electric technology on sites, while enabling increased operational efficiency, reliability, and safety.”
Taskforce participants including BHP, Rio Tinto, Shell, ABB, and GHD will define requirements, pilot, and test the technical capabilities of the interoperable ruggedized charging solutions in mining environments.
Source: PRESS RELEASE
Image of Cat 795 AC mining truck on trolley at Boliden Aitik mine: Caterpillar