Key Benefits of Shifting to Electric Mining Equipment
Mine operations don't lose any functionality by shifting from fuel to electric- or battery-powered operations. On the contrary, it is a positive shift that takes your business to a healthier and more sustainable future. Battery electric equipment allows your mine to unlock a trifecta of benefits, including reduced greenhouse emissions, decreased costs of operations and increased health and safety.
Here is a breakdown of the benefits arising from shifting to battery-electric mining equipment.
Increased Performance
Battery-electric mining equipment will be cheaper in terms of fuel consumption. One of the most common misconceptions about electric machinery is that it is not as effective as machines that rely on diesel combustion. Electric battery equipment offers benefits such as battery regeneration during travel, which will reduce the native energy consumption within the vehicle and increase the on-ramp haulage productivity significantly.
Reduced Ventilation Needs
Electric equipment mitigates the risks of overheating and fire, a common occurrence when using diesel-powered machines in enclosed environments such as mining shafts. Ventilation shafts are a necessity for underground mining sites, a common infrastructure cost when using diesel engines. Shifting to battery-powered electric mining equipment will eliminate the number of ventilation shafts needed and the cost of adding them.
Improved Work Environment
Electric mining equipment provides on-demand power without the excessive heat, damaging and distracting noise that diesel-run equipment emits. The electric hydraulic function is separated in the engineering block from traction.
More Energy-Efficient Energy Consumption
Electric equipment consumes less energy than diesel-run equipment. Engineered regeneration efficiently recycles the energy used within the drive train into the battery, leading to less energy requirement in electric mining operations. This will reduce the overall costs of the operation.
Lower Cooling Requirements
Using diesel-powered mining equipment leads to a lot of energy generated. This, in turn, requires a lot of cooling capacity. Electric-powered mining equipment is more efficient. Electric vehicles produce less wasted heat energy, therefore, delivers more productive work. The cooling capacity needed is much less, which leads to cost-saving.
Decreased Risk of Fires
Diesel and heat in the same enclosed space increase the risk of fire. Safety is perhaps the most important consideration in the shift from diesel to battery-electric-powered equipment. There are multiple risks associated with combustion diesel engines. Electric models of equipment don't have complex hydraulic systems with ignitable fuel close to areas that need close monitoring to prevent fires.
Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Diesel-run mining equipment emits a lot of carbon (iv) oxide and other greenhouse gasses. Shifting to battery-electric powered technology reduces emissions significantly in all the production cycles.
To ensure proper working of your mining equipment, ensure you hire a professional to provide regular service for your equipment. Switching to electric mining equipment is not only safer, but it is also less expensive and more eco-friendly.