Fortescue Metals Group has achieved a significant milestone in its journey towards sustainable mining operations.
The company’s hydrogen-powered haul truck prototype, named “Europa”, has successfully completed a 1,100-kilometre journey from Perth to the Pilbara region, where it will undergo extensive site-based testing.
Europa, a Liebherr T 264 haul truck, will be put through its paces in a real-life mining environment at Fortescue’s Christmas Creek site over the coming months.
This crucial testing phase will provide valuable insights to inform the development of the company’s future fleet of zero-emission haul trucks.
The prototype truck showcases cutting-edge technology:
- A 1.6MWh battery developed in-house by Fortescue WAE
- 500 kilowatts of fuel cells
- Capacity to store over 380 kilograms of liquid hydrogen
Once commissioned on site, Europa will be refuelled with liquid hydrogen from a gaseous and liquid hydrogen plant located at Fortescue’s Green Energy Hub at Christmas Creek.
This integration of refuelling infrastructure demonstrates Fortescue’s commitment to creating a comprehensive zero-emission mining ecosystem.
Fortescue CEO Dino Otranto highlighted the significance of this achievement, stating: “Europa integrates for the first time a Fortescue Zero battery into a Liebherr haul truck, marking a huge milestone in our partnership with Liebherr”.
The collaboration between Fortescue and Liebherr aims to develop a fleet of zero-emission haul trucks for progressive deployment across Fortescue’s sites from 2026.
The partnership extends beyond haul trucks, with plans to develop a fully integrated Autonomous Haulage Solution.
Otranto emphasised: “To decarbonise mining you need a system solution, so this new operating system which integrates a Fleet Management System and energy management will be a game changer for us in reducing our carbon emissions.”
Oliver Weiss, Executive Vice President of R&D, Engineering and Production at Liebherr-Mining Equipment SAS, expressed enthusiasm about the project’s potential impact: “What we learn from this hybrid truck will significantly shape and enhance our future development strategies for zero emission haulage.”
As Fortescue continues to push the boundaries of sustainable mining practices, the arrival of Europa in the Pilbara marks a significant step towards the company’s goal of operating a fleet of zero-emission trucks by the end of this decade.
