Dettingen/Erms (Germany)– ElringKlinger AG and the Dutch VDL Groep cooperate in the field of fuel cell technology.
- ElringKlinger supplies fuel cell modules for VDL vehicles for testing at Colruyt Group in real operation
- Cooperation within the framework of the “H2Haul” project: Development and testing of heavy-duty trucks with fuel cell propulsion for the European market
- Collaborative work of truck manufacturers, fuel cell suppliers and operators of hydrogen refuelling stations
Together, the two companies are participating in the European funded project “H2Haul”. In addition to the sub-projects of other project partners, three VDL vehicles will be equipped with fuel cell systems from ElringKlinger and tested in real operation by the Belgian retail corporation Colruyt Group. The hydrogen refuelling stations used enable fast and efficient refuelling and thus support the demonstration project of how fuel cell trucks can serve as direct replacements for diesel vehicles.
The “H2Haul” project makes a significant contribution to preparing the market for the further use of the technology in the 2020s. The aim of the project is to advance the development of the fuel cell as an alternative drive technology in Europe to market maturity. The ElringKlinger fuel cell module will then be used in buses and coaches, among other applications. The project was made possible by a EUR 12 million grant from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU).
ElringKlinger has been active in the research and development of fuel cells for around 20 years and operates in the market as a system and component supplier. The stacks are based on PEM technology and convert chemical energy into electrical energy using hydrogen and oxygen. They are particularly suitable for mobile applications with long-range and cyclic operation. Applications include buses and cars, but also industrial applications in the mobile sector, such as small commercial vehicles and industrial trucks.
Stacks from ElringKlinger for integration into customer systems are available with an electrical output of 2 to 150 kW. As an option, they can be equipped with peripheral components and system functionalities integrated into the endplate module, thus significantly simplifying and reducing the cost of the fuel cell system.
About the H2Haul project
The H2Haul project (Hydrogen fuel cell trucks for heavy-duty, zero-emission logistics) is a Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) grant funded (€12m) project deploying 16 zero-emission fuel cell trucks in four demonstration sites. The project will run for five years from 2019 and is co-financed by the FCH 2 JU under the European Union – Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation under the project number 826236. The following organisations are participating in the H2Haul project: Air Liquide, Element Energy Limited, ElringKlinger, Eoly, FPT Industrial, Hydrogen Europe, Hydrogenics, IRU Projects, IVECO, Powercell Sweden, THINKSTEP, VDL Enabling Transport Solutions, WaterstofNet. The trucks will be operated by BMW (DHL), Coop, Colruyt, Carrefour, and Air Liquide.
About the FCH JU
The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) is a unique public-private partnership supporting research, technological development and demonstration (RTD) activities in fuel cell and hydrogen energy technologies in Europe. Its aim is to accelerate the market introduction of these technologies, realising their potential as an instrument in achieving a carbon-lean energy system. The three members of the FCH JU are the European Commission, fuel cell and hydrogen industries represented by Hydrogen Europe and the research community represented by the research grouping Hydrogen Europe Research.
Read the most up to date Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Industry news at FuelCellsWorks
