Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) recently reported that its electric excavator has reached the significant milestone of 1 million metric tons (mt) moved since it became operational. Now operating at full-speed, FMG said its performance continues to steadily improve with the excavator at times performing better than its diesel equivalent. The company is now working to ensure consistent performance.
“This is such an exciting milestone for Fortescue and our decarbonization journey,” Fortescue Metals CEO, Dino Otranto said. “Importantly, we’ve been able to achieve this while maintaining our high safety standards. We will have two additional electric excavators commissioned by the end of April. Once we decarbonize our entire fleet, around 95 million liters of diesel will be removed from our operations every year, or more than a 250,000 mt of carbon dioxide equivalent.”
Located at Fortescue’s Chichester operations, the excavator currently operates partially off solar and is powered by a 6.6kV substation and more than 2 km of high voltage trailing cable.
In line with our commitment to eliminate emissions across our mining operations, the intention is that all electrified mining equipment will eventually be 100 per cent powered by renewable electricity.
The milestone comes just days after Fortescue’s 240-tonne battery electric haul truck prototype, Roadrunner, reached its own milestone during its onsite testing.
“Roadrunner recently completed its first phase of testing which exceeded the performance expectations of the battery power system. This included laps around our testing track and ramp tests with hill starts, all while carrying 231 tonnes of iron ore,” Mr Otranto said.
“It’s milestones such as these that are bridging the gap between zero emissions power systems and diesel fleets, and proving to the world that decarbonization is possible.”
