BEVs expected to have the biggest impact on reducing emissions from mining operations
By GlobalData
06 May 2021 (Last Updated May 6th, 2021 10:55)
With leading mining companies pledging to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and many targeting carbon neutrality by 2050, a switch from diesel-fuelled vehicles to battery-powered will be a critical step.
Many miners are already exploring the potential to electrify their mining fleets. Credit: BBandSIRI on Shutterstock.
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With leading mining companies pledging to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and many targeting carbon neutrality by 2050, a switch from diesel-fuelled vehicles to battery-powered will be a critical step.
Many miners are already exploring the potential to electrify their mining fleets. This is particularly the case for underground mines, where tethered or battery-powered load, haul, dump vehicles (LHDs) are becoming more common as, in addition to reduced greenhouse gases, they can significantly reduce ventilation costs. This comes in a number of ways, including the elimination of diesel particulate matter and exhaust gases, which improves the quality of the air compared with diesel, and higher efficiency in the conversion from electric energy to wheel drives compared with diesel to wheel drives, which leads to less heat and therefore lower a ventilation requirement. Other benefits include maintenance costs, with battery vehicles having 25% or so fewer parts compared with diesel propulsion systems, and less noise, vibration and heat.