WATTALPS is proud to take part in a strategic international collaboration aimed at accelerating the electrification of underground mining operations.
The initiative brings together Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, and CEA-Liten, a leading European research institute in energy technologies, to advance decarbonisation efforts in the mining sector. As part of this one-year project co-financed by Codelco and the French government through the FASEP fund (Fund for Studies and Assistance to the Private Sector), WATTALPS will design and supply advanced battery systems that will be tested at CEA-Liten’s state-of-the-art facilities.
Advancing mining electrification through collaboration
The project combines expertise from industry, research, and academia to address one of the most complex challenges in heavy-duty electrification: powering large-scale underground equipment in harsh and demanding environments.
With contributions from CEA-Liten, recognized for its global leadership in lithium-ion battery innovation, and academic partners including the University of Chile’s AMTC and CASE centers, the collaboration will focus on:
- Developing technical specifications for electrified underground equipment
- Modelling electrification scenarios under real mining conditions
- Conducting comprehensive battery testing to validate performance
These tests will play a key role in assessing the performance, safety, and economic viability of electrified solutions for underground mining fleets.
The results of this work will support Codelco in defining a long-term roadmap for fleet electrification and future research and development initiatives.
WATTALPS: Enabling reliable and safe battery performance
Underground mining environments impose stringent requirements on energy systems, including:
- High thermal constraints
- Continuous operation demands
- Strict safety standards
- Limited maintenance access
WATTALPS’ immersion-cooled battery technology ensures:
- Enhanced thermal management, maintaining optimal performance even under heavy loads
- Consistent performance in challenging environments such as dust, vibrations, and extreme temperatures
- Certified safety, with non-propagation of thermal runaway
- Ultra-fast charging and limited maintenance, to ensure productivity and continuous working cycles.
- Extended battery life, lowering total cost of ownership
These capabilities make WATTALPS a strong partner for electrification projects where reliability and robustness are critical.
Supporting the decarbonisation of mining
Electrifying underground mining fleets is a key lever for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving working conditions for operators with low-noise, zero-emission equipment, and enhancing operational sustainability and competitiveness.
This initiative reflects a broader global trend toward cleaner and more efficient mining practices, driven by collaboration between industry leaders and technology innovators.
WATTALPS is proud to contribute to this effort and remains committed to developing innovative battery technologies that enable the transition to safer, cleaner, and more efficient industrial operations worldwide.
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