Vale, Komatsu, and Cummins will develop the Dual Fuel Program (DF), aimed at retrofitting the 830E and 930E diesel trucks with ethanol-diesel dual fuel capable engines.
"There is no single solution to reduce carbon emissions from haul trucks, so we are investing on different fronts, such as development with ethanol, studies to increase biofuel in the mix, and tests with electric trucks," detailed Ludmila Nascimento, energy and decarbonization director at Vale. "In the case of ethanol, we can reduce our direct emissions and also contribute to strengthening this low-emission industry in Brazil."
The Dual Fuel Program is a recognition of the necessity to reduce carbon emissions in mining operations. Converting existing diesel engines in haul trucks to run on a mix of ethanol and diesel will extend the trucks' lifespan and considerably reduce carbon emissions. The retrofitted trucks will be capable of using a fuel mix of up to 70 percent ethanol and reducing direct CO2 emissions by up to 70 percent.
The collaboration between Vale, Komatsu, and Cummins underscores the importance of partnerships in achieving sustainability goals. By combining industry experience and resources, the three companies aim to accelerate the development and implementation of the DF retrofit solution. This partnership addresses the environmental challenges of the near term and lays the groundwork for future initiatives to enhance sustainability and efficiency across the industry.
"We are constantly developing and testing solutions to achieve our carbon reduction targets by 2030. This partnership will go a long way in reaching our collective goals," said Benjamin Stear, EDT product manager at Komatsu. "We look forward to partnering with our customers through the DF change management process while maintaining productive operations to reach our emission reduction goals."
Over the next two years, the DF program is anticipated to include the development, testing, and implementation of ethanol-diesel engines manufactured by Cummins.
"It will be fantastic to contribute our internal combustion engine expertise on this project that will see further advancement of future ready technology," said Luke Mosier, mining product planning and strategy manager at Cummins.
