Brazil mining major Vale says a new deal with Caterpillar to test large battery electric haul trucks and energy transfer systems, and study ethanol-powered trucks, is aimed at helping it cut its scope one and two carbon emissions by one-third by 2030.
Vale is spending up to US$6 billion to try to meet the 2030 target.
It says diesel emissions account for 15% of its direct CO2-equivalent emissions.
“Among mine equipment the haul truck is the biggest consumer of diesel and therefore the biggest contributor to emissions,” Vale says.
It said a 218-tonne-payload battery powered Caterpillar truck would be tested at its Minas Gerais iron ore operations without specifying when. Caterpillar was also developing energy transfer systems for trucks, which would be tested at Vale’s Para operations “over the next few years”.
“The two companies will also begin a joint study on a dual fuel solution for haul trucks operating on ethanol and diesel fuel,” Vale said.
The company’s energy and decarbonisation director Ludmila Nascimento said ethanol had most potential to contribute to the 2030 target because it was a fuel used on a large scale in Brazil.
