In Brazil, Reuters reports -the mining company Vale said last week that it has made progress in initiatives aimed at reducing emissions from its off-road trucks, with tests of these vehicles running on higher blends of biodiesel in diesel, as well as other vehicles powered by batteries. Among the ongoing evaluations, the company began field tests this month with 190-ton capacity off-road trucks, using blends of 30% and 50% biodiesel in diesel, compared to the 15% mandated by Brazilian law, at the Mariana Complex in Minas Gerais.
The average fuel consumption of these vehicles is about 130 liters per hour, or approximately 2,000 liters per day. The goal of the tests, according to the company, is to monitor the trucks’ performance for at least six months and assess what modifications will be necessary for them to operate with the higher biodiesel blend while maintaining performance close to current levels.
The mining company reiterated that the tests to increase biofuel use, conducted since 2023, have shown that the alternative is “promising” and that the measure could lead to an emissions reduction of up to 35% compared to the diesel Vale currently uses in Brazil.
Tags: biodiesel, Brazil, Vale
Category: Fuels
