The group, present in fifteen countries and which operates 25 sites in South Africa, plans, if the test is conclusive, to replace its entire fleet of diesel trucks with these new prototypes powered by a 2 megawatt hydrogen battery, which can transport up to 290 tonnes of ore.
“What we’re launching isn’t just an impressive piece of machinery, it’s the genesis of an entire hydrogen-powered ecosystem,” rejoiced the president Ramaphosa during the official launching ceremony of the gigantic vehicle, almost the size of a small house, presented at the Mogalakwena mine (north), located regarding 250 km from Johannesburg.
“This is a giant step for the future hydrogen economy of South Africa”, he said in a speech broadcast by local television. “It really is a historic moment” who “clearly gives us a vision of what the future may look like”, he added.
Anglo American has an ambition to be carbon neutral (a balance between man-made greenhouse gas emissions and their removal from
atmosphere) by 2040, in particular through this hydrogen technology, obtained by electrolysis of water powered by solar energy.
The combustion of hydrogen only releases water vapor and not carbon emissions like fossil fuel engines such as Diesel.
“We are planning in the next few years to convert or replace our current fleet of Diesel trucks with this zero-emission transport system, powered by green hydrogen”, for his part indicated the general manager of Anglo American, Duncan Wanblad.
According to him“if this test is conclusive, [ils pourraient] reduce up to 80% of diesel emissions from surface mines by extending this technology to all [leur] floats around the world”.
In November 2021, a group of rich countries including France, Germany, Britain and the United States pledged to give at least $8.5 billion and technical assistance to help Africa of the South in its transition to a less carbon-intensive economy.
