Global carbon reduction company First Mode has contracted ABB to supply to supply First Mode with 80 BORDLINE ESS lithium-ion battery systems. The batteries, which total 2.6 megawatt-hours, will help power the next several zero-emission mining haul trucks being developed by First Mode.
The BORDLINE ESS batteries will be assembled into larger battery packs and used in the construction of hybrid hydrogen and battery powerplants to power ultra-class haul trucks. The batteries will be used both to increase the peak power output available to the truck when ascending a grade, and to recover energy through regenerative braking when descending.
First Mode’s order for 80 ABB BORDLINE ESS based on lithium-ion battery technology extends the companies’ collaborative efforts in the electrification of heavy transport. In 2022, First Mode utilized ABB’s megawatt-scale DC-to-DC converter and on-site engineering expertise to launch the world’s first ultra-class haulage truck powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. According to First Mode, replacing just one diesel truck with an electric model would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,700 metric tons a year — about the same as taking 700 passenger cars off the road.
The prototype truck debuted at a platinum mine in South Africa. Stress-tested in one of the most demanding of operations, it excelled, proving that a combination of batteries and fuel cells to power heavy-duty vehicles is a viable alternative to diesel.
The next-generation powerplants, refueling systems, and other infrastructure are being built and tested at First Mode’s engineering and development facilities in Seattle, Washington, USA, which include a 45,000-square-foot manufacturing facility slated to come online later this year. The systems will be demonstrated at First Mode’s Proving Grounds starting in early 2024.
“The successful testing and operation of First Mode’s proof-of-concept truck proved that a combination of batteries and fuel cells to power heavy-duty vehicles is a viable alternative to diesel,” said Julian Soles, CEO of First Mode. “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with ABB, which played an instrumental role in the proof-of-concept commissioning, as we scale production of our proprietary nuGen™ Haulage Solution and bring additional cost savings to our customers, all while maintaining an industry-leading safety program.”
“We are grateful for the continued partnership with First Mode in advancing clean energy solutions for the mining industry. ABB’s BORDLINE energy storage systems play a crucial role in enabling sustainable, diesel-free operations in many transport industries,” said Edgar Keller, President of ABB’s Traction Division. “We are proud to work with First Mode in achieving their mission to eliminate diesel and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future.”
