FAQs

BHP is partnered with Austmine to develop solutions to tough mining challenges, and develop an Innovation Hub that creates opportunities for suppliers, and supports the development of new technologies.

BHP, Rio Tinto and Vale, have come together as Founding Patrons to use the Innovation Hub to define and promote the Charge On Innovation Challenge, in order to develop effective solutions for mine electrification and decarbonisation.

The Charge On Innovation Challenge asks Vendors to present interoperable solutions that can safely deliver electricity to large battery-electric off-road haul trucks in a way that maintains or improves current productivity levels. Specifically, we want mechanisms capable of delivering in the order of 400kWh of electricity to each truck within a haul cycle (ie load, travel, dump, return, queue). The delivered electricity is to charge a battery, and if applicable directly propel the truck.

In addition to providing for a zero carbon fuel source, conversion of mobile mining equipment to battery electric can potentially unlock value. However, mine electrification requires considerable integration of infrastructure into mine planning and operations. We need to develop faster charging infrastructure in parallel to the development of battery-electric trucks, to ensure we create a complete electric haulage system.

The Founding Patrons aim to identify charging solutions with broad industry appeal and applicability to mining. We want solutions that enable decarbonisation via electrification, and that maintain or improve productivity.

By multiple mining companies acting together, we want to demonstrate to adjacent sectors that there is an attractive market worth pursuing. Additionally, we add value by bringing an industry perspective to bear on the applicability of different concepts across a range of operating environments.

Current stationary charging solutions require substantial time to charge a truck, and are unsuitable for charging a truck within the haul cycle (ie while it is being loaded or it is dumping). This would require miners to purchase many more trucks.

Current trolley assist systems used to propel diesel-electric trucks could be adapted to charge a battery in a moving truck (dynamic charging). However, current trolley systems suffer from a number of drawbacks making them difficult to deploy economically.

A number of non-traditional mining sector vendors are actively developing technologies that can assist in mine electrification. By submitting a Challenge to the market, we expect to:

• Demonstrate there is an emerging market for charging solutions in mining
• Accelerate commercialization of solutions
• Indicate to suppliers, the mining industry seeks interoperable solutions
• Maintain multiple actors and competition in the supply chain
• Integrate innovations from other sectors into the mining sector

We expect some solutions identified in the Challenge could provide propulsion to existing diesel-electric trucks. This may present a pathway to early implementation for dynamic charging solutions.

The Open Innovation method has previously delivered safety and productivity improvements to mining. For example, in September 2020, BHP set a unique challenge for suppliers in Australia and Chile – to submit their best ideas to help us eliminate fatalities. This resulted in 724 innovative ideas collected through our innovation partners, Austmine and Expande. Since then, 94 ideas have been shortlisted and are being reviewed.

The challenge is open to vendors across all industries globally.

No, it is not a requirement to be an Austmine member to participate in the challenge. Austmine provides a range of programs to the Australia’s Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector beyond their standard membership. For information on what Austmine membership entitles your business to, please visit the Austmine website.

Current stationary charging solutions require substantial time to charge a truck out of cycle, and are unsuitable for charging a truck within the haul cycle (i.e. while it is being loaded or it is dumping). Charging out of cycle would require miners to purchase many more trucks.

Current trolley assist systems used to propel diesel-electric trucks up ramps could be adapted to charge the battery in a moving truck (dynamic charging). However, current trolley systems are limited in where they can be deployed as they are:

a) Expensive to install and difficult/slow to deploy/relocate/extend

b) Typically require additional road width and a large turning radius

c) Even with a fully autonomous trolley-ready fleet, may require an extra lane because of other equipment using the road

d) Require a very high standard of road maintenance

e) Extra care has to be taken to avoid overfilling the truck body as to avoid collision between material and overhead lines, such as height detecting sensors

f) Tight vertical tolerance so need to accurately track the road surface

g) Tight horizontal tolerance making it difficult to manoeuvre around obstacles such as a rock on the roadway

h) Requires attention from the driver to maintain connection to the overhead lines, reducing awareness of immediate environment

i) Manual activation of pantograph decreases the time on the system reducing energy transfer. The manual process is also a source of damage to the overhead lines, either by activating it to soon or too late

j) Increased operational complexity with potential impact on productivity

We would like to see concepts that can address these limitations.

A number of non-traditional mining sector vendors are actively developing technologies that can assist in mine electrification. By submitting a Challenge to the market, we expect to:

a) Demonstrate there is an emerging market for charging solutions in mining

b) Accelerate commercialization of solutions

c) Indicate to suppliers, the mining industry seeks interoperable solutions

d) Maintain multiple actors and competition in the supply chain

e) Integrate innovations from other sectors into the mining sector

f) Utilize collective wisdom from across mining companies to identify workable solutions

We expect that battery electric trucks will be ready for mine site trials within the next few years and so we want to develop the charging infrastructure in parallel so a complete solution can be developed and trialled on site. This will be required prior to broad implementation.

Additionally, we expect some solutions identified in the Challenge could provide power to the drive train of existing diesel-electric trucks. This may present a pathway to early implementation for dynamic charging solutions.

The challenge focusses on battery electric trucks only. Hydrogen may be considered as part of the charging solution off the truck. For example, a mobile charger that takes energy to where it is required may utilise a hydrogen tank and fuel cell to provide top up charging to haul trucks. This is analogous to a water truck taking water to different parts of the mine rather than using a sprinkler system for dust suppression.

The challenge is not specific to any particular mine for now and applies to any type of mining operation.

Yes. Austmine and the Patrons will maintain the confidentiality of your submission, and use it only insofar as required for the purposes of their review and evaluation of your submission.

No. You retain ownership of your intellectual property rights contained/disclosed in any materials that you create and submit to the Challenge, and it remains your choice to include/disclose such rights as part of your submission. You do, however, grant the Patrons and Austmine a license to use such rights, but only insofar as required for the purposes of their review and evaluation of your submission.

The Charge On Innovation Challenge ends in October 2021 following completion of the Charge On Collaboration Workshop(s).  Austmine will facilitate the workshop(s) for the Patrons to uncover the Charge On concepts that were viewed as desirable and that could serve the industry as standard charging interfaces.

Prior to the workshop(s), Patrons will have made their own evaluations of the Vendor concepts based on their individual operating requirements and will be free to advocate as to what they believe would make a viable solution to the problem framed in the Challenge.

The workshop(s) will identify the solutions most appealing to the Patrons, and mechanisms by which Patrons can provide assistance to Vendors to commercialize the selected concept(s).  An example of a mechanism would be a subset of the mining companies providing development assistance to a Vendor. To be clear the execution of these mechanisms will occur after the Challenge.

In the above example, the Consortium would work closely with (or include) the Truck OEMs and the ‘Charge On Vendor’ to develop a commercially available interface that can be utilised by all parties.  We are also working to enable investors to actively participate post-challenge as a way of providing additional finance to accelerate commercialisation.

The Challenge presents a unique value proposition to investors in that the Patrons will provide a clear signal as to what technology concepts are desirable for the industry.  Vendors retain authority as to who and how confidential materials may be shared with truck OEMs and Investors.

Traditional truck OEM’s are also welcome to submit their own proposals at the EOI stage of the Challenge and their proposals will be considered alongside all other Challenge submissions. All submissions will follow the same Charge On Innovation Challenge evaluation process.