Another day at the office: Fortescue CEO test drives 150 ton haul truck [video]

This is mining industry news and has no direct bearing on home energy upgrades, but here's what happened. Fortescue, an Australian mining company, is testing battery-powered versions of its heaviest equipment, including a 150-ton water truck, a wheel loader, a dozer, and a grader. The company's CEO took a turn driving some of this equipment himself at a facility in China, working with manufacturer XCMG, and posted video of the test drive online.

The push is part of Fortescue's plan to stop burning fossil fuels at its mining operations in the Pilbara region of Australia by 2030. To hit that target, the company says it needs to replace hundreds of pieces of diesel equipment with electric alternatives as the old machines reach the end of their working life. Fortescue has already tested other electric heavy equipment, including a converted excavator, a 230-ton haul truck with fast charging, and an electric locomotive. The company estimates these changes could eventually save it more than $400 million a year in diesel fuel costs.

None of this involves home energy equipment, rebates, or upgrades a homeowner would deal with. It's a look at how one large industrial company is working to electrify heavy machinery used in mining, not something that changes what's available for houses or what programs homeowners can use.