Battery components at Fortescue's workshop in Perth, Australia
Battery and vehicle controller system WAE Technologies has completed and delivered to Australia the largest battery of its kind, ready to be installed in a 240 t prototype zero-emission battery-electric mining haul truck.
The battery has now arrived at Fortescue’s workshop in Perth, Western Australia, and will be assembled and installed, before it is transported to the Pilbara for testing on site.
WAE is a subsidiary of green energy company Fortescue, which is developing the zero-emission truck – powered by a 1.4 MWh prototype power system – in partnership with heavy machinery manufacturer Liebherr.
The battery will be integral to Fortescue’s $6.2-billion decarbonisation strategy to help eliminate fossil fuels from its terrestrial iron-ore operations, which includes replacing its existing diesel-fuelled fleet with battery-electric and green hydrogen powered haul trucks.
A team of 50 engineers and technicians are responsible for developing the power system, which weighs 15 t, measures 3.6-m-long, 1.6-m-wide and 2.4-m-high and is made up of eight sub-packs, each with 36 modules – all individually cooled and each with its own battery management system.
Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) CEO Mark Hutchinson says the battery system, designed for zero-emission battery-electric mining haul trucks is an important part of the company’s strategy to reach real zero terrestrial emissions (Scope 1 and 2) across Fortescue’s iron operations by 2030.
He adds that WAE’s battery expertise complements FFI’s green hydrogen projects.
WAE Technologies CEO Craig Wilson says the high-performance power system not only boasts the highest energy storage of its kind, but will also be the first to offer 30-minute fast charging. It can also regenerate power as it drives downhill.
“This system is the first of many technologies that can help enable Fortescue to realise its industry leading 2030 net-zero target.
“Powered solely by renewable energy, it will help prevent enormous amounts of fossil fuel from being used in the mining industry, with the goal to not compromise the vehicle’s load capacity,” adds Wilson.
He states that this is an inspiring example of what can be achieved combining Fortescue’s green energy vision for its global vehicles and WAE’s extensive expertise in advanced batteries.