Australian iron ore miner Fortescue’s decarbonisation journey has taken a major step forward today, with WAE Technologies completing and delivering to Australia the largest battery of its kind, ready to be installed in a prototype zero-emission battery electric mining haul truck that Fortescue it is developing with Liebherr. The state-of-the-art 1.4MWh prototype power system sets the pace for ground-breaking innovation in heavy industry and is a bespoke design intended for integration into a 240-tonne mining haul truck.A team of 50 engineers and technicians are responsible for developing the pioneering power system, which weighs 15 tonnes, measures 3.6m long, 1.6m wide and 2.4m high, and is made up of eight sub-packs, each with 36 modules, all individually cooled and each with its own battery management system.It is a massive achievement that has been completed in record time and marks several firsts for an electric mining haul truck battery, with energy storage of 1.4MWH, the ability to fast-charge in 30 minutes and capacity to regenerate power as it drives downhill.The battery will be integral to Fortescue’s USD 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.Fortescue Future Industries CEO Mark Hutchinson said, “WAE and Fortescue are working together to seek to decarbonise faster and more effectively than any other major industrial company in the world.”
Australian iron ore miner Fortescue’s decarbonisation journey has taken a major step forward today, with WAE Technologies completing and delivering to Australia the largest battery of its kind, ready to be installed in a prototype zero-emission battery electric mining haul truck that Fortescue it is developing with Liebherr. The state-of-the-art 1.4MWh prototype power system sets the pace for ground-breaking innovation in heavy industry and is a bespoke design intended for integration into a 240-tonne mining haul truck.A team of 50 engineers and technicians are responsible for developing the pioneering power system, which weighs 15 tonnes, measures 3.6m long, 1.6m wide and 2.4m high, and is made up of eight sub-packs, each with 36 modules, all individually cooled and each with its own battery management system.It is a massive achievement that has been completed in record time and marks several firsts for an electric mining haul truck battery, with energy storage of 1.4MWH, the ability to fast-charge in 30 minutes and capacity to regenerate power as it drives downhill.The battery will be integral to Fortescue’s USD 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.Fortescue Future Industries CEO Mark Hutchinson said, “WAE and Fortescue are working together to seek to decarbonise faster and more effectively than any other major industrial company in the world.”
