Electric Equals Green? How Digitization of Mining Makes EVs Sustainable
Electric Equals Green? How Digitization of Mining Makes EVs Sustainable
Greenhouse gas emissions arising from human activities have substantially increased over the past century – a byproduct of the industrial revolution.
Unfortunately, concentration of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere can and has evidently led to increase in average annual temperatures, melting glaciers, rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions severely impacting human lives, wildlife, agriculture, forestry, properties and infrastructure.
The bane of greenhouse gas emissions is largely attributed to burning fossil fuels through specific activities – driving vehicles, electricity production, heating and cooling of buildings, operation of appliances and equipment, production and transportation of goods, and provision of services and transportation for communities.
Fortunately, the evolution and rise of electric vehicles has been identified as a key enabler in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and subsequently, reversing the effects of climate change.
Electric vehicles by their sheer design do not emit carbon dioxide due to the absence of an internal combustion engine. Rather, electric vehicles are powered by an electric motor whose power is regulated by a controller. The controller regulates the energy from a rechargeable battery that acts as a storage unit for electricity that can easily be recharged at home or at an electrical charging station.
However, the electric vehicle’s supply chain seems counterproductive to its climate protection ‘abilities’. A key component of the electric vehicle is its rechargeable battery, without which the mechanics of electric powered vehicles fail. Sizeable components of the rechargeable battery are made from cobalt, lithium and other minerals such as nickel, copper, manganese, rare earth metals and graphite.
These mineral components are supplied by the mining industry – a sector that historically has historically been noted for its environmental impact. This gives some experts the reasons to criticize proliferation of EVs as the cause of increasing environmental risks associated with mining.
Nonetheless, through the advent of artificial intelligence and digitalization, the mining sector is becoming a beacon of innovation. The mining industry is gradually digitalizing its extractive and transportive processes through the use of artificial intelligence to help drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from mining activities.
AI makes it possible for mining firms to automate, monitor, document, track and evaluate the entire extraction and transportation processes of minerals, making it easier for mining firms to account and control the spread of wasteful and harmful substances.
The use of electric vehicles can be sustainable, only if all the carbon emitting processes leading up to their manufacture are greatly reduced. Using AI can help mining firms within the electric vehicle value chain sustainably extract and transport minerals without adverse carbon footprint. By integrating artificial intelligence into its value chain, mining companies can digitalize their extraction process, monitor emissions, and subsequently put measures in place to reduce waste.
When it comes to the integration of mining processes with digitalization and artificial intelligence, Symboticware is at the forefront of this wave. We have in-depth experience of enabling leading mining companies to digitize equipment and fleet management, extraction process and operational data collection and utilization to enable convenient documentation of all ESG metrics and performance in the entire mining value chain.
If electrical vehicles are to become more widespread than they currently are, the mining industry would be a key enabling sector to help cut down greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, as the mining industry evolves to become environmentally friendly using AI technology, and digitization practices, it would nurture a much more sustainable and feasible electric vehicle ecosystem.
Would you like to learn more about artificial intelligence and its role in the mining industry? Symboticware is the leading IoT providing working with the natural resources industry. We would love to connect with you. Reach out to us.