THE ACCELERATION OF ELECTRIFICATION

EPIROC HAS THE ELECTRIFICATION OFFERINGS TO ENABLE THE MINING INDUSTRY'S DECARBONISATION.

When the Federal Government introduced the reformed Safeguard Mechanism in 2023, it accelerated the need for decarbonisation in heavy industries such as mining.

Under the Safeguard Mechanism, companies that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent (CO2-e) per financial year are required to buy Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs) to offset their carbon footprint.

In the 2023-24 financial year, ACCUS could be bought for $75 per tonne for every tonne a company goes above its 100,000-tonne CO2-e cap. This increases annually with the consumer price index (CPI), plus two per cent.

To insulate themselves from the Safeguard Mechanism now and into the future, mining companies are turning to environmentally-conscious machinery such as Epiroc's range of electric-powered drills, loaders, trucks and associated infrastructure.

With innovation coursing through its veins, Epiroc is on a mission to support the decarbonisation of the Australian and global mining industry, and the timing couldn't be more perfect.

Electrification is gradually increasing in popularity in the underground mining sector as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) prove the capability of electrified machinery, not just in limiting carbon emissions but by also boosting productivity and safety.

Epiroc's electrification portfolio includes a range of drill rigs, including battery-electric jumbos (Epiroc Boomer range), bolting rigs (Epiroc Boltec range) and production drills (Epiroc Simba range).

These machines can be bought new or Epiroc can retrofit an existing diesel machine with battery capability. This can also coincide with a zero-hour rebuild.

To best facilitate an electric transition, Epiroc works closely with its mining customers to understand their barriers and how to best overcome them, before building out a roadmap that doesn't compromise operational productivity.