PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Iron-ore major Fortescue Metals on Thursday said that it would be ramping up the decarbonisation of its locomotive fleet, with the arrival of two additional locomotives at its green energy arm Fortescue Future Industries’ (FFI) research and development facility in Perth.

The two four-stroke locomotives will undergo further testing on the new fuel system, joining the first two-stroke locomotive which underwent testing earlier this year.

“The arrival of the additional locomotives allows FFI’s Green Team to expand their development as they focus on delivering a locomotive operating solely on green ammonia and other green renewable fuels and technologies,” Fortescue CEO Elizabeth Gaines said.

“This is part of Fortescue’s ambitious target to be carbon neutral by 2030 for Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Our target is underpinned by a pathway to decarbonisation as we focus on investing in renewable energy and eliminating the use of diesel across our mining fleets.

“Fortescue’s fleet of locomotives is a critical element in decarbonising our operations and through FFI we are investing in cutting-edge technologies to power the green mining fleet of the future,” Gaines said.  

FFI’s Green Team has been trialling technology in hydrogen, ammonia and battery power for trains, ship engines, haul trucks and drill rigs.

Earlier this year the team achieved the successful combustion of blended ammonia fuel in a two-stroke locomotive, marking a significant milestone in Fortescue delivering on its industry leading decarbonisation targets. 

FFI CEO, Julie Shuttleworth said the green energy arm is a key enabler of Fortescue’s decarbonisation strategy, and it is pleasing to see such rapid progress being made by the Green Team.

“We are investing in research and development to transform Fortescue’s trains, trucks and ships on the road, rail and sea with zero pollution fuels as soon as possible,” Shuttleworth said.

Planning is under way to deploy a demonstration locomotive in Fortescue’s rail operations in 2022.