Zero-emission mobility has just opened a new chapter, and, surprisingly, it has not done so in Japan or Germany. Experts have taken notice of the “hydrogen beast” that we have just ignited in America, with an engine that will be for roads, but not for cars (we ruled out the airplane then). It weighs 300 tons and runs on a 2 MW prototype, but you can’t imagine what its main function is: it will change one of the most polluting activities in the country, something that is more necessary now than ever.
America has fired up the “hydrogen beast”: New record towards zero-mobility and the end of EVs
The world’s largest mine has recently been launched by Anglo-American for sustainable mining technology in the form of a hydrogen-powered truck. This particular piece of equipment, of which a prototype was revealed in May 2022, will be a constituent of the nuGen Zero Emission Haulage Solution development plan.
It is expected that the truck will work in a real-life mining environment at the Mogalakwena PGMs mine in Limpopo, South Africa, which is very important for the potentially move towards low carbon-emission mining industry. The hydrogen-powered truck is a giant machine with a maximum permissible mass of 210 tons.
It runs on a hydrogen fuel cell electric engine with a maximum power of 2 MW. Payload is as much as 290 tons, and this does not only make it the largest hydrogen-fueled vehicle but also more potent than its diesel counterpart, the Komatsu 930E. The truck has a complex system of fuel cells.
Some keys about the first truck hydrogen engine: 800 kW and a historic collaboration
The output of which is 800 kW, as well as independent capabilities for performing various work within the framework of mining industries. Had it not been for consistent technology and engineering collaboration, this truck would not have been developed with the help of key players such as ENGIE, First Mode, Ballard, and NPROXX.
One of the major aspects of the project is the stand-alone green hydrogen system, which comprises the production of hydrogen, the fueling of the hydrogen, and the transportation of hydrogen directly at the mining site. This system is backed by the biggest electrolyzer in Africa, which separates water to make hydrogen for powering the truck, and a solar plant that fuels the electrolyzer.
How was this American hydrogen engine developed? The journey of what has been a success
There is a clear long-term strategic development plan on hydrogen technology for mining by Anglo-Americans. The firm is expected to introduce the vehicle into the company’s global fleet, where several mine operations are located. A successful pilot of this technology is thought to pave the way for the creation of a full-fledged hydrogen economy in South Africa.
Furthermore, the SA government is considering the establishment of a Hydrogen Valley as a reputable long-term strategy for the localization of the hydrogen economy. Thus, this project will be composed of transport, industrial and construction domains, and its implementation will lead to job creation and the formation of other economic activities in the zone.
To start off with, this journey of developing this hydrogen-powered truck came as a result of Anglo-American’s corporate responsibility towards environmental conservation and a succession plan to attain carbon neutrality by the year 2040. The company realized that the emissions from the diesel consumption in the haul trucks that it uses, constituted about 10% to 15% of its Scope 1 emissions.
As you can see, this is the first truck hydrogen engine in history, produced in America, that will be marketed to the rest of the world. The idea is that it will be exported in the form of powerful, resilient engines, resistant to extreme conditions, such as those of the Nordic countries, which are beginning to decarbonize their lithium mining). However, they still have a serious problem, and that is that there is nowhere to refuel, so we will still have to wait to see if it will succeed.
