Evaluation of the Applicability of Fuel Cell - Battery Hybrid Electric Trucks for Serving Open-Pit Mining

Abstract

As the mining industry moves towards more sustainable development, mining corporations are looking for low-carbon energy sources for trucks. Replacing diesel engines in mining trucks with electric batteries or fuel cells has been studied. Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages. Recently, there have been studies in the world applying hybrid power systems between hydrogen fuel cells and electric batteries for mining trucks. Fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity, electric batteries store electricity for use when sudden power increases are needed and regenerate energy when braking. When replacing diesel engines, the challenge is to improve trucks originally designed to use diesel engines into trucks using hybrid fuel cells and electric batteries. This article provides initial assessments of some indicators of large-capacity mining trucks using diesel engines, converted to fuel cell - battery  hybrid electric truck, as a basis for choosing environmentally friendly mining truck power systems.