Utilizing Renewable Hydrogen For Fuel-Cell Mine Haul Vehicles In Canada: A Techno Economic Assessment

Abstract

To reduce emissions from diesel-fuelled mine-haul fleets in Canada, hydrogen has been considered a viable alternative. However, emissions from electrolysis can increase depending on the carbon dioxide (CO2) intensity of the electrical source. This study found that total emissions can be reduced by 50% with grid-connected electrolysis and up to 90% when connected to a renewable energy source such as a wind turbine. The study results indicate that the current cost of ownership for fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and hydrogen production from wind energy is approximately 18%-30% higher than diesel fuel. As technology learnings increase, utilizing hydrogen in mine trucks will be economically viable to diesel-fueled mine-haul fleets as future costs are projected to drop by 2030. This techno-economic prefeasibility study investigates the amount of emissions reduction and cost-savings from diesel-fuelled mine-haul fleets by utilizing electrolysis from either grid-electricity or wind-energy in FCEVs within the Canadian mining industry.