ARENA Invests in Decarbonising Mining Vehicles

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced a $10 million grant to support Fortescue’s groundbreaking ‘Fast Charger for Heavy Battery Electric Vehicles’ project. This $35.3 million initiative aims to develop 6MW fast chargers capable of powering 240-tonne battery electric mining trucks in under 30 minutes, marking a significant milestone in reducing emissions from Australia’s mining sector.

Darren Miller, CEO of ARENA, emphasized the importance of addressing emissions in heavy industry.

“Heavy haulage for remote mine sites contributes about a quarter of the mining sector's emissions and is a hard-to-abate area. This project aligns with our goal of investing in technologies that can deliver impactful solutions,” said Miller.

The funding is part of the Federal Government’s Industrial Transformation Stream under the Powering the Regions Fund, a $400 million program supporting emissions reduction at regional industrial facilities.

The fast charger builds on Fortescue’s existing 3MW prototype and will be tested at the company’s Hazelmere and Christmas Creek mine sites. If successful, the technology could be widely adopted across Australia’s resources industry, revolutionizing how heavy haulage operations reduce their carbon footprint.

These chargers are designed with global standardization in mind, ensuring compatibility with a range of equipment across industries like mining and rail.

Australian iron ore mining operations currently emit approximately 5Mt of CO2 annually, largely due to diesel-powered fleets. Fortescue Zero CEO, Ellie Coates, highlighted the innovative nature of the chargers.

“Our fast chargers are built for the tough conditions of the Pilbara, featuring robotic connection options and scalability for various heavy vehicle applications,” Coates said.

The chargers will provide a rapid and efficient solution to power Fortescue’s upcoming fleet of 240t battery electric trucks, significantly reducing reliance on diesel.

Preliminary testing for the fast charger is underway, with project completion anticipated by late 2025. ARENA hopes the success of this initiative will pave the way for widespread adoption of decarbonisation technologies across Australia’s heavy industries.

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