Diversified mining company Anglo American last week announced its agreement with global energy and energy services company ENGIE to develop and fuel the world’s largest hydrogen-powered mine haul truck.

The agreement was signed on board the Energy Observer, the world’s first fully electric vessel powered exclusively by hydrogen and renewable energies.

The new hydrogen haul truck project is part of Anglo American’s innovation-led approach to sustainable mining, FutureSmart Mining, which applies innovative thinking and technological advances to address mining’s major sustainability challenges.

This collaboration, in which ENGIE is providing the hydrogen generation solutions and Anglo developing the truck, marks the first time a truck of this size and load capacity has been converted to run on hydrogen.

‘First motion’ of the hydrogen powered truck is expected in 2020, followed by a testing and validation programme at Anglo American Platinum’s Mogalakwena platinum group metals mine, in Limpopo, after which the trucks are expected to be deployed at other Anglo operations.

Operational performance of the converted trucks is expected to be the same as or better than the original diesel trucks, with the additional benefits of cleaner air, less noise and lower maintenance costs.

“We’re extremely pleased to be partnering with ENGIE and we look forward to developing and implementing this step change technology,” commented Anglo technical director Tony O’Neill in a release to Creamer Media’s Mining Weekly.

Anglo has come up with a mix that allows it to be carbon neutral with a very different footprint, after analysing its mine site power requirements and applying a decision process on how renewable-energy systems and their benefits are viewed.

“This is part of our plan to create a smart energy mix that moves us closer towards our carbon and energy targets for 2030 and, ultimately, our vision of operating a carbon-neutral mine,” O’Neill commented.

ENGIE’s hydrogen business CEO, Michele Azalbert, said the solution was aimed at helping to decarbonise the mining sector and aligned with ENGIE’s strategy of developing large-scale integrated hydrogen solutions in the local and global markets.