Tag Archives: Joachim Braun

Komatsu and ABB align on interoperable solutions to achieve net-zero operations

Automation, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , ,

Komatsu and ABB have signed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement to, they say, jointly develop and bring to market integrated solutions that will help move net-zero emissions for heavy industrial machinery a step closer to reality.

The two global leaders will leverage industry expertise and equipment in a bid to create world-class interoperability, ranging from renewable energy generation to fully electrified mining equipment for customers, through an open platform.

Komatsu is known as one of the world’s largest providers of construction and mining machinery and will now link up with global leader ABB for its expertise and technologies for automation and electrification. Both companies bid to accelerate decarbonisation in mining alongside customers, partners and suppliers, enabling continued productivity, energy efficiency and value across the industry.

ABB and Komatsu’s collaboration is geared towards reducing diesel consumption and ultimately eliminating it through the electrification of mine operations.

The companies are developing innovative solutions such as fully-electrified mining machinery and advanced energy management systems. “Innovation is the primary catalyst for ABB and Komatsu to help the industry reach carbon reduction goals,” they said. “Each company will nominate specialists from their teams for a working group to develop recommendations and strategies on what the road to net-zero emission systems for grid to wheel could require.”

Dan Funcannon, Senior Vice President of Surface Haulage for Komatsu, said: “We’re pleased to embark on this collaboration with ABB and are excited to leverage one another’s industry leading products and technological expertise to help move mining operations toward net zero emissions, empowering a sustainable future where people, business and the planet thrive together.”

Joachim Braun, Division President, ABB Process Industries, said: “By working together, we will tackle electrification and make a revolutionary difference to the way mining companies operate their sites in the near future. We recognise the strategic importance of this agreement and believe there will be mutual business benefits and potential technology solutions for the mining market. Collaboration across the industry has already been proven to enable real and faster progress and we look forward to driving what happens next.”

ABB’s Robot Automated Connection Device (ACD) will be featured on the Komatsu MINExpo 2024 booth from September 24 to 26. The Robot ACD is planned to be a fully automated interoperable connection device working in tandem with the ABB eMine™ FastCharge solution for future battery-electric trucks.

From left to right: Dan Funcannon, Senior Vice President of Surface Haulage, Komatsu; Joachim Braun, Division President, ABB Process Industries; Brian Fox, Senior Vice President of Mining Strategy & Innovation, Komatsu; and Max Luedtke, Global Business Line Manager for Mining, ABB Process Industries

ABB joins Euromines’ sustainable mining drive

Automation, Environmental, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

ABB says it has joined the European Association of Mining Industries (Euromines), the recognised representative of the European metals and minerals mining industry.

Euromines’ main objectives are to promote responsible industry practices and engage with EU institutions on mining-related policy matters. Euromines also promotes the benefit and value of both the products and the industry to society, which are critical to boosting European competitiveness.

It serves as a cooperative network of members focused on sharing responsible raw material mining practices. It also evaluates the impact of European and international policies and legislation on the industry and defines industry policy positions and actions. It represents large and small companies and subsidiaries in Europe and in other parts of the world.

Euromines has recently launched the Sustainable Mining Initiative in which members share insights on circular economy, nature restoration, decarbonisation and community.

ABB business leaders will contribute to the association’s efforts to improve responsible mining in Europe and provide examples of how innovative technologies for the processing of raw materials have been developed by ABB or in collaboration with customers, ABB says.

Joachim Braun, Division President, ABB Process Industries, will attend the Euromines Policy Committee. Max Luedtke (pictured), Global Business Line Manager for Mining at ABB, joins the Euromines Sustainability Group while Sylvain Froin, Global Head of Communications and Marketing for Mining at ABB, joins the Euromines Communication Committee.

“Raw materials are essential for industry and critical to Europe’s climate goals and strategic autonomy,” Braun said. “We are pleased to join Euromines and are looking forward to contributing with best practice examples of technologies that drive increasingly sustainable mining activity in Europe and around the world. ABB automation, electrification and digital technologies enable a more sustainable and research-efficient future; we are already helping and collaborating with customers to decarbonise and reduce energy consumption across the mining industry and across all processes from pit to port.”

Euromines provides services to its members with regard to EU policy and serves as a network for cooperation and for the exchange of information throughout the sector within Europe. The association also fosters contacts with the mining community throughout the world. Euromines represents an interface between the European extractive industry and the European authorities and international or intergovernmental bodies and advocates the extractive industry.

ABB and Perenti to collaborate on mining electrification projects

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , ,

Perenti has signed an agreement with ABB to collaborate and explore approaches to support net-zero emissions targets for underground and open-pit mines.

Experts from the two companies will work together to address electrification in mine hauling operations, power distribution, energy efficiency and power management, the companies said.

Australia-based Perenti has mining expertise and technical capability, which complements ABB’s technology expertise. Together, the teams plan to explore business models and solutions to provide wider services for pilot, brownfield and greenfield mining customer projects to support the electrification of operations.

ABB has been calling for open collaboration within the mining industry and has taken action on several similar initial non-binding agreements to build commitments with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), technology innovators and mining companies. This includes pacts with FLSmidth, Amazon Web Services, MEDATech, Liebherr and others.

“Mining customers are committed to facing environmental, societal and economic challenges head on as they aim to decarbonise mining operations,” Joachim Braun, Division President, Process Industries, ABB, said. “With ABB’s sector leading position in electric mine technology development, and Perenti’s excellence and experience in mine development and mine operations, the scope of this collaboration is a perfect opportunity to make real progress in providing electric solutions that will decarbonise the industry.”

Mark Norwell, Managing Director and CEO, Perenti, said: “ABB and Perenti share a vision to develop energy-efficient solutions for the mining industry. By combining our experience across mining operations and digital solutions with ABB’s leading technologies we are focused on supporting the decarbonisation of mining through electrification. We look forward to working with ABB on this exciting new venture.”

ABB launched its ABB Ability™ eMine portfolio of technologies and methodologies last year, an approach to make the all-electric mine possible, with fully integrated electrification and digital systems from mine to port.

Perenti says it is committed to acting on climate change through promoting innovation, developing and deploying low emissions technology and working with its clients to implement projects that improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions.

ABB and Hydrogen Optimized Inc to accelerate RuggedCell high-power water electrolysis tech

Environmental, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , ,

ABB and Hydrogen Optimized Inc (HOI), the Canada-based technology innovator unlocking green hydrogen production at scale, have signed an agreement to expand the companies’ existing strategic relationship.

This includes an investment by ABB into Key DH Technologies Inc (KEY), the parent company of HOI, as it seeks to accelerate the fast-emerging green hydrogen production segment with unique large-scale architecture.

The signing follows the two companies’ showcase of their green hydrogen technologies at the August 23, 2022, German-Canadian Atlantic Renewable Hydrogen Expo in Stephenville, Newfoundland.

By accelerating the strategic collaboration between ABB and HOI launched in 2020, the two companies are advancing the deployment of economic large-scale green hydrogen production systems to decarbonise hard-to-abate industries that address a wide range of essential needs – energy, metals, cement, utilities, ammonia, fertilisers and fuels for aircraft, ships, trucks and rail, ABB says.

The companies will leverage their respective capabilities and resources to rapidly commercialise HOI’s patented RuggedCell™ high-power water electrolysis technology for the world’s largest green hydrogen plants. Water electrolysis is the process of applying electrical energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. RuggedCell technology converts renewable electricity such as hydro, solar and wind power into green hydrogen for industry.

“We look forward to building on our companies’ two-year working relationship to pursue the enormous global opportunity of green hydrogen,” Joachim Braun, Division President, ABB Process Industries (pictured on the left), said. “Following a rigorous validation of the RuggedCell technology, we are confident that, in combination with ABB’s high-power rectifiers, it can become a category leader in the large-scale green hydrogen segment. Our complementary technologies will strengthen the Hydrogen Optimized value proposition and fast-track the commercialisation of the RuggedCell.”

Andrew T.B. Stuart, President and CEO of KEY and HOI (pictured on the right), said: “This agreement positions us for success in the large-scale segment with customers requiring installations in the hundreds of megawatts to multi-gigawatts. ABB’s global footprint, commercial relationships and technology leadership in high-power rectifiers, distributed control systems and manufacturing automation provide us with the market reach and capabilities to achieve our company’s goals.”

The proceeds of ABB’s investment into KEY, led by ABB Technology Ventures, will be used to advance HOI’s intellectual property development, build up corporate capabilities for increased business activity and introduce automated manufacturing and robotics, ABB says. This will accelerate the rollout of gigawatt-scale electrolyser manufacturing.