HyLIFT-DEMO to trial hydrogen fuel cell forklift trucks

HyLIFT-DEMO to trial hydrogen fuel cell forklift trucks

NEWS / EDITORIAL MOBILE APPLICATIONS HyLIFT-DEMO to trial hydrogen fuel cell forklift trucks T he European HyLIFT-DEMO project is moving into its n...

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NEWS / EDITORIAL MOBILE APPLICATIONS

HyLIFT-DEMO to trial hydrogen fuel cell forklift trucks

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he European HyLIFT-DEMO project is moving into its next phase, with the selection of end-users for its 30 heavy-duty, hydrogen fuel cell powered forklifts. The overall purpose and ambition of HyLIFT-DEMO, which started in January, is to conduct a large-scale demonstration of hydrogen fuel cell forklifts, leading to deployment and market introduction starting no later than 2013. The project showcased the 2.5 tonne fuel cell forklifts being deployed in the project, at the recent CeMAT logistics fair in Hannover, Germany. The Danish fuel cell integrator H2 Logic also used the show to launch its new H2Drive™ hydrogen fuel cell system for forklifts [FCB, May 2011]. Nine partners from five European countries are involved in the E7 million (US$10 million), three-year project, which is co-funded by the European Joint Undertaking for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH JU). The main project objectives are a two-year demonstration of at least 30 units of 2.5–3.5 tonne forklifts with a fully integrated next-generation fuel cell system, and demonstration of the associated hydrogen refueling infrastructure at end-user sites. These will be accompanied by planning for initial commercial deployment by the end of 2013. H2 Logic has been collaborating with Danish forklift manufacturer Dantruck A/S since 2006. The result is a hydrogen-powered, 2.5 tonne forklift for heavy-duty applications. H2 Logic is also establishing the hydrogen refueling infrastructure, and will manage its operation, while gases and engineering giant Linde is providing its hydrogen supply expertise. The SINTEF research organization in Norway and the European Commission’s JRC Joint Research Centre are conducting accelerated tests for durability, vibration, shock, and climate resistance on the next-generation fuel cell system. The Technical University of Denmark will assist H2 Logic in the optimization of the fuel cell hybrid system, while TÜV SÜD is supporting the third-party safety certification of the fuel cell systems and integration into the forklifts, as well as for the hydrogen refueling infrastructure. In addition, the European Hydrogen Association (EHA) – in collaboration with the Italian Federation of Scientific and Technical

June 2011

Associations (FAST) – is compiling a guidance document for conducting project activities on fuel cell forklifts, targeted towards regional and local participants, to help them in setting up their own projects. EHA will also collaborate in organizing dissemination activities and workshops. The project is coordinated by the Munich-based consultancy Ludwig-BölkowSystemtechnik GmbH, which will also carry out project monitoring and assessment activities to report on the performance of the hydrogen forklifts and the refueling infrastructure. LBST will also assist in developing the commercialization plan, using experience and lessons learned from its coordination of previous projects. ‘In the US there are already more than 1000 fuel cell forklifts in daily commercial operation, and Europe will be next,’ says the HyLIFTDEMO project coordinator, LBST’s Hubert Landinger. [Check out the pair of features on fuel cell powered forklifts in the September and October 2010 issues.] HyLIFT project: www.hylift.eu

InnovaTek funding for fuel cell rangeextender in airport EV

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he US Department of Energy has selected InnovaTek to receive a Phase I award, under its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, for development of a fuel cell rangeextender for battery-powered airport ground support equipment. The $150 000 Phase I award is to establish the feasibility of the technology for meeting the needs of airlines and ground handling companies in reducing emissions and fuel costs. InnovaTek in Richland, Washington will collaborate with EnerFuel, a Florida-based fuel cell developer, and JBT AeroTech, a ground service equipment (GSE) manufacturer in Orlando, to develop a modular electric power system for an airport cargo loader that has an extended range of at least 10 h operation. The project’s objective is to develop a fuel cell power system that converts bio jet fuel to electricity for onboard recharging of an electric vehicle’s battery. While the performance is similar to that of battery-powered equipment, GSE with InnovaTek’s fuel cell range-extender will remain fully charged at all times, by recharging the battery through the use of renewable biofuel. The Port of Benton in Washington state will assist in the project by supporting demonstration of the technology at a local airport.

EDITORIAL

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ermany is certainly playing up to its role as the leading industrial power in Europe, as it pushes for the commercialization of fuel cells and hydrogen technology in the widest range of applications. Government support is of course crucial at this stage in the long-running adventure that is fuel cells, and the German government recognized this some time ago. In particular, under the German National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (www.now-gmbh.de/index.php?id=80&L=1) – developed some five years ago – the federal government is providing E500 million (US$710 million) in targeted funding for the further development and introduction of these technologies. Within this program, transportation is naturally a key focus. The principal ‘lighthouse project’ is the Clean Energy Partnership (www. cleanenergypartnership.de), a collaboration between automakers, energy companies, and public transport operators that is demonstrating FCVs and hydrogen fueling infrastructure in the real world. As we see in the feature article on pages 12–14, the initial focus is on Berlin and Hamburg, then to join with other clusters to create a nationwide network. (And as we report on page 2, Honda and Air Liquide are the latest companies to join the CEP.) As well the CEP feature article, this issue highlights several other German developments in this field. Both front page news items relate to German fuel cell developments: good news from Daimler, on the successful completion of the MercedesBenz F-CELL World Drive; and bad news from Tognum, as it doesn’t look as though the fuel cell business within its MTU Onsite Energy division will continue, following Tognum’s acquisition by Rolls-Royce and Daimler. And in the main news, as usual we report on developments at a variety of German companies. SolviCore MEAs are at the heart of Michelin’s new Energy Pack, a fuel cell rangeextender coupled with a battery for use in urban electric vehicles. And SFC Energy – which has 21 000 DMFC units in real-world operation – launched the optimized EFOY Comfort series of generators, while its US affiliate has licensed a portfolio of DMFC patents from the University of Southern California and Caltech. In addition, Hamburg-based N2telligence has signed an agreement with AFC Energy for the use of alkaline fuel cells in fire protection; two Kuwaiti companies have made investments in Heliocentris Energy Solutions; and the SOFC stack manufacturer staxera has been taken over by SunFire, which will accelerate development of a process to generate synthetic renewable fuels from CO2 and water. So things are looking good in Germany… Steve Barrett

Fuel Cells Bulletin

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