Giant Copper Mines Start to Get Serious About Green Hydrogen

摘要

All the talk about how green hydrogen will help heavy industries kick their fossil fuel habit is starting to turn into action in the biggest copper-producing nation. An Anglo American Plc pilot project has been supplying the clean gas to a forklift at a waste facility in Chile for the past two months, with the London-based firm now eying transitioning other equipment and eventually large trucks, Chile manager Aaron Puna said. Antofagasta Plc is also looking into pilot projects to run equipment on hydrogen, Chief Executive Officer Ivan Arriagada said. Even Codelco, the giant state-owned producer, is making contact with companies with a view of introducing the fuel into its operations. Green hydrogen - produced by stripping the gas from water using electrolyzers powered by wind and solar - is seen as key to eliminating carbon emissions from the industrial sector. Chile, home to massive copper deposits as well a plenty of renewable energy capacity, wants to nurture a local hydrogen industry to help meet its target of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and help mining companies make the switch at a time of rising scrutiny by investors.