PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Iron-ore major Fortescue Metals has initiated work to develop zero emissions battery electric haul trucks.

The miner this week announced an agreement with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) to design, build, test and integrate a battery system to power an electric mining haul truck, as a first step to decarbonising its mining haul fleet.

The project includes the design and construction of a bespoke battery electric powertrain with the ability to regenerate power as the truck travels downhill. The battery will be built at WAE’s facility in the UK, before being shipped to Perth for integration into a 240-t prototype haul truck for performance testing at Fortescue’s mining operations in the Pilbara.

To support the full implementation of a battery-electric haulage fleet, the project will also involve the development of a fast charging unit which will harness renewable energy from Fortescue’s Pilbara Energy Connect network.

“Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the planet and Fortescue is committed to tackling this challenge head-on through our industry-leading target to achieve net zero operational emissions by 2040,” Fortescue CEO Elizabeth Gaines said,

“This includes a 26% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions from existing operations from 2020 levels by 2030. With around a quarter of these emissions attributed to our mobile haul fleet, this represents a significant opportunity to drive our pathway to being diesel free.

“Fortescue’s history of developing and adopting innovation and technology has been key to the success of our business and in partnership with WAE, we look forward to applying this technology-first strategy to our emissions reduction pathway.”

Fortescue last year signed up for a A$32-million renewable hydrogen supply product that would enable ten of its coaches at its Christmas Creek mine to be fuelled with renewable hydrogen.

The project is slated for completion in early 2022.

The miner also earlier this year announced plans for green steelmaking in the Pilbara, with founder Andrew Forrest pledging that the company would build Australia’s first green steel pilot plant this year, with a commercial plant powered entirely by wind and solar energy, in the next few years.