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Anglo American links with Ballard and Engie for mining truck demo
NEWS The Fuel Cell Integration to Support Systems Durability and Reliability Advancements project is designed to help industry and academia demonstrate the integration of a commercially available fuel cell, and evaluate potential use of conformable hydrogen storage technology. These off-road vehicle platform advances will help improve fuel cell and hydrogen storage reliability, durability, and overall ruggedness. Nikola Powersports is the division of Nikola Motor Company offering OHVs for military and commercial markets, and watercraft. Nikola Motor unveiled its Nikola One™ hydrogen fuel cell powered semi-trailer truck in late 2016 [January 2017, p13], and last autumn announced the Nikola Tre hydrogen-electric truck specifically designed for the European market [December 2018, p4]. Nikola Motor Company: www.nikolamotor.com Pratt & Miller Mobility: www.prattmiller.com/markets/mobility National Center for Manufacturing Sciences: www.ncms.org
Loop Energy JV with IN-Power for truck, bus fuel cell systems
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anadian-based Loop Energy, which produces fuel cell range-extenders for medium- and heavy-duty motive applications, has established a joint venture and non-exclusive licence agreement with IN-Power, a leading power electronics supplier to the Chinese transport sector. The partners will collaborate to produce heavy-duty motive power systems incorporating Loop Energy’s fuel cell stacks for nextgeneration, heavy-duty electric buses and trucks in China. China plans to have 1000 hydrogen stations operating by 2030, serving 1 million vehicles including commercial buses and trucks, as heavy-duty fuel cell solutions enable long range, fast refueling, cold-weather operation, and no impact to vehicle payload. Loop Energy’s fuel cell stacks incorporate its eFlow® technology – developed in its earlier incarnation as PowerDisc [see the PowerDisc feature in FCB, March 2014] – to produce greater power density at a significantly lower capital cost compared to competitive fuel cells. In addition to providing fuel cell stacks, Loop will also contribute its system design to simplify and increase the efficiency of the overall fuel cell system. Beijing-based IN-Power will bring its 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
manufacturing capability and power electronics expertise, including DC-DC fuel cell inverter technologies, to provide new and existing customers with a highly efficient, zero-emissions, heavy-duty truck and bus powertrain solution. Loop Energy recently received a cash investment from Cummins [see also page 3] to fund its fuel cell range-extender product development and project deployments, with the supply of range-extender systems for incorporation into demonstration trucks [October 2019, p10].
the world. The operational performance of the converted trucks is expected to be the same as or better than the original diesel trucks, with the additional benefits of cleaner air, less noise, and lower maintenance costs. Anglo American, FutureSmart Mining: www.angloamerican.com/futuresmart Anglo American Platinum: www.angloamericanplatinum.com Ballard Power Systems: www.ballard.com Engie: www.engie.com/en
Loop Energy: www.loopenergy.com IN-Power: http://en.in-power.net
Anglo American links with Ballard and Engie for mining truck demo
S
outh African-based Anglo American is preparing an Ultra-class heavyduty mining truck for a planned demonstration project in 2020, which will be retrofitted with 800 kW of PEM fuel cell modules from Ballard Power Systems in Canada, and French electric utility Engie will supply the hydrogen generation technology. This ambitious new project is part of Anglo American’s innovation-led approach to sustainable mining, FutureSmart Mining™, which applies innovative thinking and technological advances to address mining’s major sustainability challenges. Ballard has received a purchase order for nine FCveloCity®-HD 100 kW fuel cell modules from Anglo American’s platinum business, which is also a strategic investor in Ballard [FCB, April 2013, p10]. Eight of the PEM fuel cell modules will power a retrofitted Ultra heavy-duty mining truck, with a load capacity of 300 tonnes, in the demonstration project at one of Anglo American’s mining operations in South Africa; the other module will be maintained as a spare. Anglo American is also partnering with Engie [see also pages 7 and 11], which will provide the hydrogen generation solutions to refuel what will be the world’s largest hydrogen-powered mine haul truck. The hydrogen will be generated using the solar power generation capacity at the mining site. ‘First motion’ of the hydrogen powered truck is expected in 2020, followed by a testing and validation programme at Anglo American’s Mogalakwena platinum group metals mine in South Africa. The company expects to go on to deploy similar trucks, each with MW-scale fuel cell power, at its other operations around
Plug Power, Mulag for ground support vehicles at Hamburg Airport
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S-based Plug Power has partnered with German specialty vehicle manufacturer Mulag to bring a new generation of hydrogen fuel cell powered electric cargo tow tractors to Hamburg Airport in Germany. The companies built a fuel cell powered vehicle, which has been successfully operated alongside the airport’s existing ground support equipment (GSE) fleet for a period of evaluation and service testing. The vehicle produced by the partnership was built by Mulag and operates using Plug Power’s ProGen PEM fuel cell engine [FCB, December 2016, p11]. Based on its successful deployment and unique scalability, Plug Power will provide Hamburg Airport with 60 additional units to power its baggage-towing fleet, along with permanent hydrogen refueling stations. Plug Power [see also page 15, and the feature in December 2011] is targeting the airport GSE market, which includes belt loaders, cargo loaders, and several types of equipment designed to move cargo, baggage and people. Earlier this year it launched a similar partnership with FedEx and battery-powered GSE manufacturer Charlatte America at New York’s Albany International Airport [May 2019, p5]. Plug Power is also working with other European airport operators to install similar fuel cell electric vehicles. Plug Power’s ProGen hydrogen fuel cell technology allows GSE vehicles like cargo tow tractors to tow up to 40 000 lb (18 tonnes) without stopping for up to 4 h, while only requiring 3–4 min for refueling. These zero-emission vehicles operate with a high energy efficiency of c.45%, helping to reduce operational costs while increasing productivity. Plug Power: www.plugpower.com Mulag Fahrzeugwerk: www.mulag.de/en/
November 2019
Loop Energy JV with IN-Power for truck, bus fuel cell systems
C
anadian-based Loop Energy, which produces fuel cell range-extenders for medium- and heavy-duty motive applications, has established a joint venture and non-exclusive licence agreement with IN-Power, a leading power electronics supplier to the Chinese transport sector. The partners will collaborate to produce heavy-duty motive power systems incorporating Loop Energy’s fuel cell stacks for nextgeneration, heavy-duty electric buses and trucks in China. China plans to have 1000 hydrogen stations operating by 2030, serving 1 million vehicles including commercial buses and trucks, as heavy-duty fuel cell solutions enable long range, fast refueling, cold-weather operation, and no impact to vehicle payload. Loop Energy’s fuel cell stacks incorporate its eFlow® technology – developed in its earlier incarnation as PowerDisc [see the PowerDisc feature in FCB, March 2014] – to produce greater power density at a significantly lower capital cost compared to competitive fuel cells. In addition to providing fuel cell stacks, Loop will also contribute its system design to simplify and increase the efficiency of the overall fuel cell system. Beijing-based IN-Power will bring its 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
manufacturing capability and power electronics expertise, including DC-DC fuel cell inverter technologies, to provide new and existing customers with a highly efficient, zero-emissions, heavy-duty truck and bus powertrain solution. Loop Energy recently received a cash investment from Cummins [see also page 3] to fund its fuel cell range-extender product development and project deployments, with the supply of range-extender systems for incorporation into demonstration trucks [October 2019, p10].
the world. The operational performance of the converted trucks is expected to be the same as or better than the original diesel trucks, with the additional benefits of cleaner air, less noise, and lower maintenance costs. Anglo American, FutureSmart Mining: www.angloamerican.com/futuresmart Anglo American Platinum: www.angloamericanplatinum.com Ballard Power Systems: www.ballard.com Engie: www.engie.com/en
Loop Energy: www.loopenergy.com IN-Power: http://en.in-power.net
Anglo American links with Ballard and Engie for mining truck demo
S
outh African-based Anglo American is preparing an Ultra-class heavyduty mining truck for a planned demonstration project in 2020, which will be retrofitted with 800 kW of PEM fuel cell modules from Ballard Power Systems in Canada, and French electric utility Engie will supply the hydrogen generation technology. This ambitious new project is part of Anglo American’s innovation-led approach to sustainable mining, FutureSmart Mining™, which applies innovative thinking and technological advances to address mining’s major sustainability challenges. Ballard has received a purchase order for nine FCveloCity®-HD 100 kW fuel cell modules from Anglo American’s platinum business, which is also a strategic investor in Ballard [FCB, April 2013, p10]. Eight of the PEM fuel cell modules will power a retrofitted Ultra heavy-duty mining truck, with a load capacity of 300 tonnes, in the demonstration project at one of Anglo American’s mining operations in South Africa; the other module will be maintained as a spare. Anglo American is also partnering with Engie [see also pages 7 and 11], which will provide the hydrogen generation solutions to refuel what will be the world’s largest hydrogen-powered mine haul truck. The hydrogen will be generated using the solar power generation capacity at the mining site. ‘First motion’ of the hydrogen powered truck is expected in 2020, followed by a testing and validation programme at Anglo American’s Mogalakwena platinum group metals mine in South Africa. The company expects to go on to deploy similar trucks, each with MW-scale fuel cell power, at its other operations around
Plug Power, Mulag for ground support vehicles at Hamburg Airport
U
S-based Plug Power has partnered with German specialty vehicle manufacturer Mulag to bring a new generation of hydrogen fuel cell powered electric cargo tow tractors to Hamburg Airport in Germany. The companies built a fuel cell powered vehicle, which has been successfully operated alongside the airport’s existing ground support equipment (GSE) fleet for a period of evaluation and service testing. The vehicle produced by the partnership was built by Mulag and operates using Plug Power’s ProGen PEM fuel cell engine [FCB, December 2016, p11]. Based on its successful deployment and unique scalability, Plug Power will provide Hamburg Airport with 60 additional units to power its baggage-towing fleet, along with permanent hydrogen refueling stations. Plug Power [see also page 15, and the feature in December 2011] is targeting the airport GSE market, which includes belt loaders, cargo loaders, and several types of equipment designed to move cargo, baggage and people. Earlier this year it launched a similar partnership with FedEx and battery-powered GSE manufacturer Charlatte America at New York’s Albany International Airport [May 2019, p5]. Plug Power is also working with other European airport operators to install similar fuel cell electric vehicles. Plug Power’s ProGen hydrogen fuel cell technology allows GSE vehicles like cargo tow tractors to tow up to 40 000 lb (18 tonnes) without stopping for up to 4 h, while only requiring 3–4 min for refueling. These zero-emission vehicles operate with a high energy efficiency of c.45%, helping to reduce operational costs while increasing productivity. Plug Power: www.plugpower.com Mulag Fahrzeugwerk: www.mulag.de/en/
November 2019