At a platinum mine in northern South Africa, mining company Anglo American presented the world’s largest hydrogen-powered truck, a monster weighing 220 tonnes.
The vehicle, which utilizes 2 megawatt hydrogen fuel cells to move up to 290 tonnes of ore, is the first in a series that will replace the company’s diesel-powered trucks.
At the presentation on Friday, President Cyril Ramaphosa remarked, “What we are launching is not merely an impressive piece of machinery, it is the genesis of an entire ecosystem powered by hydrogen.”
The giant, approximately the size of a small home, was unveiled at the Mogalakwena mine, around 250 kilometers (150 miles) south of Johannesburg.
“This is a gigantic leap for South Africa’s hydrogen future economy,” said Ramaphosa.
“This has really been a historic moment. It gives us a clear vision of what the future looks like.”
By 2040, Anglo American plans to be carbon neutral.
The fuel will be provided by solar energy, which will be used to split water into its component atoms of hydrogen and oxygen.
“If this pilot is successful, we could remove up to 80 percent of diesel emissions at our open-pit mines by rolling this technology across our global fleet.”
Rich countries such as France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States promised at least $8.5 billion in funding and technical support to aid South Africa in transitioning to a low-carbon economy in November.
KEEP READING:
SOURCE: AFP
