248 Figure 8 - Electrification potential at the Erzberg mining area 6. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION During the last years, VA Erzberg has implemented a perfectly performing trolley system in the largest hard rock mine in central Europe. There is a clear roadmap for VA Erzberg’s future to become all electric, however the implementation of electrically powered mining equipment is heavily dependent on OEMs and their willingness to develop and to provide electric powertrains for their products. The economic benefits as well as the resulting environmental benefits would be highly welcomed and would perfectly meet the European Union’s efforts for Decarbonisation. European Union’s Industrial Emission Directive took up metal ore mining and the associated BREF (best practice reference) document will give guidance to make use of possibilities for electrification of mining equipment, Right now, there are no electrically powered products from the dominant OEMs for open pit mobile mining equipment in the size and above of VA Erzberg’s mine in Europe available, which could operate fully electric at the Erzberg open pit mine. Even the well-elaborated concept of the above described battery equipped trolley truck is not yet adopted by OEMs of 100 t payload trucks. Following the mining related news, several Chinese manufacturers of open pit mobile mining equipment already have started to explore the advantages of electrical powertrains
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