NanoSUN today announced its successful completion of the Shell GameChanger programme by safely and efficiently filling up the tank of a hydrogen-powered vehicle with its mobile Pioneer Hydrogen Refuelling Station (HRS).
NanoSUN was judged to be the ‘best start-up’ business in the fourth edition of the New Energy Challenge 2019, making it the beneficiary of vital funding and support from Shell GameChanger. Its concept of a low-cost, mobile HRS met a key need if hydrogen is to become a prevalent transport fuel. Keen to prove the concept, NanoSUN took on the challenge to build a mobile HRS capable of storing 350 kg of hydrogen and to use it to dispense the gas into a hydrogen-powered vehicle.
NanoSUN CEO Dean O’Connor commented: “Participating in the New Energy Challenge has been a tremendous experience. Being able to develop the solution, build the first unit, and dispense hydrogen fuel into a vehicle in collaboration with one of the world’s largest energy businesses has offered unique insights. We are excited by the successful outcome of the collaboration.”
The partnership with Shell enabled NanoSUN to design, construct and now operate the Pioneer HRS: a fully mobile, self-contained and automated hydrogen-refuelling station. It offers an affordable way of delivering transportation-grade hydrogen to the point of use. Capital cost is significantly lower than a fixed HRS, as no compressor is required for dispensing the gas.
“GameChanger is dedicated to helping businesses around the world transform their early-stage technologies into reality”, says Lene Hviid, Global Manager of Shell GameChanger. “I’m so glad that NanoSUN has done this with the Pioneer HRS.”
In a world where reducing carbon emissions and cleaning tailpipe exhaust has become essential in our journey to tackle climate change and air pollution, hydrogen is quickly becoming accepted as an alternative fuel to petrol and diesel within the transportation industry. Commercial fleet owners are readily adopting fuel-cell vehicles, such as buses, heavy-duty trucks and vans, which can be refuelled with hydrogen quicker than their battery equivalents can be charged up with electricity. The refuelling industry, however, is struggling to keep up with the growing demand for hydrogen gas, resulting in the need for a quick, low-cost refuelling solution for vehicle fleets. With the support of Shell GameChanger, NanoSUN’s Pioneer HRS has now come forward to meet this crucial requirement.
In NanoSUN’s vision, hydrogen is best produced in large, centralised plants, where complex chemical-engineering operations can take advantage of economies of scale. High-pressure hydrogen gas can then be delivered to the point of use via the Pioneer HRS, where it is dispensed directly into fuel-cell-powered vehicles.
NanoSUN will continue to demonstrate the Pioneer HRS in a number of different deployments throughout 2021 for a range of different end-user requirements.
To find out more see the Pioneer here or contact us at [email protected] for further information.
Take a closer look and see how the mobile Pioneer HRS is easily transportable to any location, promising minimal preparation and a simple refuelling process.
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