Forrest strikes $4 billion deal for electric trucks and dozers to eliminate fossil fuels at giant mines
Iron ore billionaire and green energy evangelist Andrew Forrest has struck a $4 Bn deal that will see hundreds of giant electric trucks, excavators and dozers used at his mines to eliminate fossil fuel use.
Forrest has set a target of reaching “real zero” terrestial emissions for the Pilbara iron ore operations of Fortescue Metals, and he wants to achieve that by 2030.
The deal announced with Leibherr – the biggest in that company’s history – will take a big step towards that goal.
The $US2.8 billion ($A4 billion) agreement with Liebherr includes the purchase of 360 autonomous battery electric haul trucks.
The 240 tonne haul trucks and dozers will use electric power and propulsion systems developed by Fortescue, and Fortescue will also supply hundreds of giant batteries needed for the machines.
Fortescue’s targets are more ambitious than its mining peers, such as BHP and Rio Tinto, even though they are also trialling electric haul trucks and other equipment.
Forrest, who opposes the use of offsets as “greenwashing”, says the industry must move more quickly.
The deal drew admiration from Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm, who had been discussing it with senior Fortescue executives while in the US.
All the major iron ore miners – Fortescue, Rio Tinto and BHP - but not Gina Rinehart’s Roy Hill – are committed to switching their electricity supplies at their respective Pilbara mines away from gas and diesel.
The mining companies are working with the state government to redraw the Pilbara electricity network away from feudal-style individual grids towards a common network that allows them to share resources.
The announcement came as Fortescue also announced an agreement to develop battery electric trains with Australia’s Downer, which will eliminate emissions on the lengthy routes from mines to port.