WorldWide Drilling Resource

ENGIE, a global reference group focused on low-carbon energy and services, along with Mining3, a leading research organization in the global mining industry, announced they have received funding from the Chilean economic development agency CORFO for its Hydra project. The project was created to design and supply a new power train for mining vehicles to run on renewable hydrogen instead of diesel. The Hydra project will begin with a prefeasibility and engineering study of the power train and the renewable hydrogen refueling system for mining trucks. This will be followed by the design and manufacturing of a 100-200-kW (kilowatt) fuel cell and battery power train prototype to test its performance under mining conditions (altitude, dust, temperature, etc.). The tests will provide valuable information to optimize the design which could replace the traditional diesel power train. The project will also help establish safety protocols for hydrogen use at scale in the mining industry. These protocols for the industry are critical to the successful deployment of hydrogen in the mining industry. Finally, the project will conduct competitiveness studies for technical and economic validation of the new technology, aiding in the adoption and use from national and international mining players. The end goal of the Hydra project is to scale up the solution to convert mining vehicles of several mining sites in Chile. “ENGIE is delighted to be awarded funding from CORFO to support the Hydra project. We believe that renewable hydrogen is key to decarbonizing the mining industry. We look forward to joining forces with Mining3 to contribute to Chile’s energy transition and to help kick-start the country’s hydrogen economy,” stated Michele Azalbert, CEO of ENGIE’s Hydrogen Business Unit. Chile has the potential to become a world leader in the production of renewable hydrogen. According to data from its Ministry of Energy, this new fuel could mitigate, at the national level, 17-27% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and help the country accomplish carbon neutrality, while contributing to an environmentally friendly and sustainable economic recovery. “Mining3 is excited about the CORFO funding announcement and thanks CORFO for supporting the development of hydrogen solutions for future mining. We look forward to collaborating with ENGIE to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments necessary for a sustainable low-carbon future for the mining industry. As an industry-led organization, Mining3 is able to leverage its members’ knowledge and feedback to fast-track real-world decarbonization solutions,” said Paul Lever, CEO of Mining3. Mining Industry Invests in Hydrogen Technology in Chile Adapted from Information by ENGIE MIN 33 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® NOVEMBER 2020

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