1164 5. ESTIMATED CO₂ REDUCTION Direct CO₂ emissions avoided through diesel savings were estimated using: CO2 (kg) = Diesel (L)×FE (kg CO2/L) where FE = 2.68 kg CO₂/L (IPCC, 2006). For an annual diesel saving of 7,049 L/year, the estimated CO₂ reduction is: 7,049×2.68 ≈ 18,889 kg CO2/year ≈ 19 tCO2/year Reducing diesel consumption directly reduces CO₂ emissions, due to the proportional relationship between fuel consumed and the emission factor (~2.70 kg CO₂·L⁻¹). In this context, improved energy efficiency associated with the addition of hydrogen reduces the carbon intensity of transport operations, both per unit of equipment and per ton moved. This effect contributes to decarbonization strategies in mining, acting on one of the main emission sources in mining. Lower demand for fossil fuels, coupled with the possible rationalization of the fleet, expands emission mitigation at the operational scale, while maintaining productivity levels. Therefore, the adoption of hydrogen as a supplementary fuel is a technically viable alternative for carbon reduction, aligning mining operations with sustainability goals and the transition to energy systems with lower environmental impact. Figure 3. Comparative operational and environmental performance of a diesel haul truck before and after hydrogen-assisted combustion. The hydrogen-supplemented truck showed a 10.07% reduction in diesel consumption, increasing average speed from 21.2 to 22.16 km/h (+4.50%) and productivity from 1.54 to 1.62 ton/km (+5.26%). Estimated annual savings reached 7,049 L of diesel and approximately 19 tCO₂ avoided per truck, highlighting the potential of hydrogen supplementation to improve fleet efficiency and support mine decarbonization. Figure 3. Hydrogen-Assisted Combustion Performance in Mining Trucks
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