Brazilian metals and mining company Vale has announced a partnership with Japanese heavy equipment manufacturer Komatsu and US-based power technology provider Cummins to develop dual fuel haul trucks, running on ethanol and diesel.
The trucks, with payloads ranging from 230 to 290 tonnes, will be the first of their size in the world to be fuelled by ethanol. The project seeks to enhance sustainability in the mining industry and help Vale achieve its carbon emissions reduction goals. It will involve the development, testing and implementation over the next two years of ethanol-diesel engines produced by Cummins.
The aim is to convert existing diesel engines in haul trucks to operate on a blend of up to 70% ethanol and diesel, reducing direct CO2 emissions by as much as 70%.
Jose Baltazar, Vale's engineering director for mine and plant operations, stressed on the necessity of phasing out diesel to meet decarbonisation targets. “Applying the solution to the existing fleet, without the need to immediately purchase new trucks, is an excellent way to move forward with the decarbonisation process, while also maintaining our focus on reliability and production efficiency," Baltazar added.
The project also takes advantage of Brazil's position as one of the world's largest ethanol producers.
