Challenge

Modern mining operations rely heavily on large diesel‑powered mobile equipment, particularly ultra‑class haul trucks. While these machines are critical for productivity, they are also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution. Alternative zero‑emission technologies had not yet been proven viable for heavy‑duty mining environments, especially under the extreme conditions typical of many mine sites, such as high altitude, dust and temperature variability. In addition, there was uncertainty around safety, regulatory readiness and the commercial business case for hydrogen‑based solutions in mining. This combination of technical, operational and regulatory gaps represented a significant barrier to the adoption of low‑emission haulage technologies across the sector. 

Solution

Hydra Phase 2 was a consortium‑based research and development project established to directly address these challenges. The project brought together more than 90 stakeholders from 7 countries, including mining companies, equipment and technology providers, research organisations and government‑linked stakeholders to collaboratively advance a hydrogen solution suitable for heavy‑duty mining applications. The core objective of Phase 2 was to create and validate a hybrid powertrain system combining hydrogen fuel cells and batteries, capable of replacing diesel in large mobile mining equipment.  

To achieve this, the project focused on the design, construction, and testing of a high‑power hydrogen fuel cell‑battery system, which was trialled as a stationary installation at a mine site under real mining conditions, including high altitude and harsh environmental exposure. This allowed the consortium to directly assess performance, reliability and operability in a context representative of future haul truck deployments. In parallel, the project evaluated the end‑to‑end hydrogen value chain, including supply, refuelling and integration with mining operations.  

Beyond technical validation, Hydra Phase 2 also addressed the commercial and systemic barriers to adoption. Using operational data from the trials, the project developed a business case and total cost of ownership assessment for hydrogen‑powered haulage systems in open‑pit mining. At the same time, the consortium identified critical gaps in safety practices, standards and regulations that would need to be resolved to enable the safe and scalable use of hydrogen in mining environments. These learnings now provide a foundation for future guidelines and regulatory alignment for hydrogen‑based mining equipment.  

Through its collaborative model, Hydra Phase 2 delivered a validated technical pathway, a clearer commercial rationale and a shared understanding of the regulatory and safety requirements needed to transition heavy‑duty mining equipment away from diesel. The project represents an important step toward enabling zero‑emission haulage in mining and de‑risking the deployment of hydrogen technologies for large‑scale industrial use.