The mining industry has become a focal point for innovation aimed at reducing environmental impact. Alta’s research and development team have designed a rigid mining truck modification that can immediately reduce fuel consumption by 8% or more. This module uses energy regeneration technology, converting the trucks to a hybrid power system. This article outlines the results of our first operational trial of the module, affirming the technical feasibility of this product.
Project Setting
Currently, the majority of large mining trucks use diesel engines as their power source. These assets have high fuel consumption and carbon emissions. A challenge facing the industry is that these assets have long asset lives, and hence the decarbonisation challenge goes beyond simply replacing assets. The Komatsu 930E is a rigid dump truck that is used widely in China. In operation, these trucks use approximately 1200t of fuel a year, emitting 2770t of carbon dioxide emissions. The penetration of Komatsu 930E in Chinese mining operations was the reason this model was chosen for the trial.
The trial was implemented in the Chinese Haerwusu Mine. This Haerwusu mine is a deep cut coal mine of 130m depth located in Inner Mongolia in the Northern Region of China.
Key parameters of the trial include:
Results
Results were taken over a 2 month testing period. The coal truck was limited to hauling only coal, and was required to maintain all operational ability, including autonomous driving systems. The module was also limited to 22kWh for testing purposes- which will result in total fuel savings being a conservative indicator of the module’s complete capabilities
Future Implications
The Komatsu 930E trial uncovered two key learnings highlighting opportunities for the mining industry.
- A regenerative braking module that decreases emissions by more than 5% is technically feasible
- A regenerative braking module can be installed in a timely, operationally non-intrusive way
This presents clear and immediate application to the Australian mining sector. A regeneration module unlocks cost savings in tandem with carbon emissions, meaning that the marginal cost of emission abatement is better than the vast majority of decarbonisation projects. The timely implementation of the module also provides companies with the opportunity to rapidly decarbonise, aligning with the strategic targets of 2025 or 2030 emission reduction held by nearly all players in the mining industry.