Latest news with #WANGZhao
Herald Sun
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Herald Sun
BHP signs deal with China's CATL despite US Pentagon blacklist
Mining heavyweight BHP has struck an agreement with two of China's most powerful battery manufacturers, including one currently blacklisted by the United States Department of Defence. The memorandums of understanding (MoU) signed this week will see Chinese battery giants - BYD's battery subsidiary FinDreams, and Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), collaborate on electrifying heavy-duty mining equipment, developing fast-charging infrastructure, and advancing battery recycling technologies across BHP mines. CATL is the largest EV battery supplier in the world, with clients ranging from Tesla, Volkswagen and Toyota. MORE: Massive car companies stop all US imports Chinese battery manufacturer CATL's domestic car business chief technology officer (CTO) Gao Huang speaks at CATL Tech Day ahead of the Shanghai Auto Show in Shanghai on April 21, 2025. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP) MORE: Car giant's $7 billion loss, 20k staff sacked But in January this year, the Pentagon added CATL to its official blacklist, flagging it as a 'Chinese military company' with links to Beijing's military-industrial complex. US Representative House Select Committee on China chairman John Moolenaar warned that companies like CATL were a serious threat to the country. 'We cannot allow these loaded guns to threaten our economy and security,' he told CBT news. The designation, under Section 1260H of the US National Defence Authorisation Act does not act as a ban, but warns American entities from investing in the company due to national security concerns. BHP did not address the blacklisting in its statement but BHP group procurement officer Rashpal Bhatti said the move is part of its long term strategy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2050. 'This strategic relationship marks further progress in BHP's work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our operations and enable support for further developments within the global resources sector,' he said. MORE: Inside China's total domination of Australia BHP is moving to transform their haul truck fleets into battery-electric powered machines. Picture: Supplied CATL head of overseas business Tan Libin said it would collaborate with BHP on a number of areas. 'Together with forward-thinking resources companies like BHP, we aim to demonstrate how advanced battery technologies can decarbonise mining operations, logistics, and product delivery, accelerating a more sustainable, efficient future while creating long-term value and transforming the global resources industry through innovation,' he said. While the transition to electric mining fleet is a great step forward, experts say it also introduces new safety risks that must be carefully managed. According to Swinburne University School of Engineering Professor Weixiang Shen said mine sites expose battery systems to 'extremely harsh' conditions, including heat, dust, vibration and humidity, all of which increase the risk of failure. He said fast charging can cause batteries to overheat rapidly, combined with the risk of internal short circuits or electrical sparks during equipment switching, this can lead to thermal runaway, a dangerous chain reaction that can result in fires or explosions. Scenic aerial golden hour sunrive over Broken Hill mining city in Far West NSW of Australia. Escape 13 April 2025 Hotlist Photo - iStock 'Mitigating these risks requires the development of purpose-designed battery energy and thermal management systems capable of real-time monitoring, control and cooling as well as explosion-proof enclosures, all tailored to mining environments,' he said. 'Together, these systems provide robust protection against environmental hazards, ensuring the safe and reliable operation of battery-powered equipment in mining applications.' Professor Shen added that lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which offer better thermal stability than other chemistries, are currently considered the safest option in high-risk settings like mine sites. BYD and CATL are currently dominating the global battery market. According to South Korean research firm SNE Research, CATL and BYD held 38.1 per cent and 17. 4 per cent of global EV battery market share from January to May this year. In China, CATL accounted for 43.7 per cent of battery installations in June alone. Currently the company has a market capitalisation of approximately A$263.61 billion. As of December 2024, CATL also holds nearly 63 per cent market share in the premium electric vehicle market, having supplied nearly 2.22 million cars so far. Originally published as BHP turns to China to kill diesel
The Standard
4 days ago
- The Standard
China jails Japanese national for espionage: embassy
Tourists walk outside the Forbiden City in Beijing on July 11, 2025. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP)
eNCA
23-06-2025
- Climate
- eNCA
Beijing issues weather warning for hottest days of year
Beijing residents sought shade and cooled off in canals on Monday as authorities issued the second-highest heat warning for the Chinese capital on one of its hottest days of the year so far. China has endured a string of extreme summers in recent years, with heatwaves baking northern regions even as parts of the south have seen catastrophic rain and flooding. Authorities in the city of 22 million people urged the public to take precautions, with temperatures expected to peak at around 38 degrees Celsius on Monday. "It's been really hot lately, especially in the past few days," intern Li Weijun told AFP on Monday afternoon. AFP | WANG Zhao The 22-year-old said he had stopped wearing formal clothes to work and delayed his daily exercise until after 10:00 pm to stay safe. "I think it's related to climate change, and maybe also to the damage done to nature," he said. An orange heat warning -- the second-highest in a three-tier system -- was issued on Monday as officials encouraged people to limit outdoor activity and drink more fluids to avoid heatstroke. Construction workers should "shorten the amount of time consecutively spent at labour", while elderly, sick or weakened individuals ought to "avoid excessive exertion", according to the guidelines. AFP | WANG Zhao Zhang Chen, 28, said she carried an umbrella outdoors to prevent sunburn. "I used to ride a bike, but once it gets this hot, I basically stop doing that," the IT worker told AFP. Despite the beating sun, legions of delivery drivers zipped through downtown areas at noon to bring sustenance to Beijing's office workers. A few lazed on the backs of their scooters in a shady spot, while elsewhere, people cooled off with ice creams or by taking a dip in the city's canals. - Climate giant - AFP | WANG Zhao Beijing is still a few degrees short of breaking its record for the hottest-ever June day, set at 41.1C in 2023. Human greenhouse gas emissions are driving climate change that causes longer, more frequent and more intense heatwaves. China is the world's largest producer of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas, though it has pledged to bring its emissions to a peak by the end of this decade and to net zero by 2060. The country has also emerged as a global leader in renewable energy in recent years as it seeks to pivot its massive economy away from highly polluting coal consumption. AFP | WANG Zhao In a shady spot near an office building, 42-year-old Lucy Lu spent her lunch break with friends, kicking a shuttlecock through the air -- a traditional Chinese game known as "jianzi". "I was born and raised in Beijing, and summer here has always been like this," she said. "But I do think when the temperature goes over 40C, there should be some time off or work-from-home options to reduce the risk of heatstroke."
