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CoolPlanet has extended its long-term partnership with Australian energy transition specialist Climatech Zero, to facilitate the electrification of light vehicles used in mines.
The extension of the deal comes as the Co Wicklow based decarbonisation firm announced that it had joined with German automotive supplier Huber to “create the safest, cleanest, most efficient mining vehicle in the world – at scale.”
CoolPlanet – founded and run by Norman Crowley – is working with major vehicle manufacturers to convert thousands of diesel mining industry vehicles to electric.
The firm has developed a specialised software platform to facilitate the conversion of light mining industry vehicles from diesel to electric.
It licences it exclusively to Climatech Zero in Australia and New Zealand. CoolPlanet’s systems will be integrated into Huber’s Electric Land Cruisers to be available in Australia.
The integration would set the stage for CoolPlanet and Climatech Zero to work with Huber and others to introduce these electric mining vehicles to the Australian market in early 2024, providing “a powerful contribution” to the mining industry’s carbon footprint reduction initiatives, the company said.
CoolPlanet and Climatech Zero expect to sell 200 of the electric Land Cruiser mining vehicles in 2024, a projected 1,200 in 2025 and a further 6,000 in 2026. Australian mines will be able to eliminate diesel particulate matter from light vehicles and maximise safety, which the company said was crucial because vehicles account for 28pc of all deaths in mining.
“The extension of our partnership to the mining sector is exciting and another significant milestone in CoolPlanet’s commitment to driving sustainable solutions in industries that are traditionally energy-intensive,” Crowley told the Sunday Independent.
