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REFIRE Cements European Hydrogen Fuel Cell Footprint with Certification from EU Authority

By May 18, 2021 5   min read  (986 words)

May 18, 2021 |

Fuel cells works, REFIRE Extends Fuel Cell System Line-Up With Heavy-Duty PRISMA 12+ at FCVC 2021
  • REFIRE receives a certificate from authorized European authority RDW through TÜV Nord for PRISMA VI fuel cell system
  • REFIRE’s Astraworks manufacturing innovation system completes authority’s Conformity of Production (COP) assessment
  • Certification paves way for REFIRE European market expansion and is key to clustering reputable partners and tailoring products for international markets

Shanghai, China– Shanghai REFIRE Group Limited (REFIRE), a leading supplier of hydrogen fuel cell technologies in China, announced that assisted by TÜV Nord, it has been granted RDW certificates that will pave the way for the company to introduce its products and services into the European market.

The first, ECE R10, certifies that REFIRE’s core product, the PRISMA VI fuel cell system, can be safely integrated into both passenger and commercial vehicles. PRISMA VI is China’s first-ever fuel cell product to attain this certificate. The achievement reflects REFIRE’s outstanding expertise in the design of fuel cell systems for electromagnetic compatibility which is known in the industry to be one of the key challenges in fuel cell development.

Additionally, REFIRE’s first Astraworks factory, based in Changshu, China, has been granted a statement of assessment confirming that its arrangements in manufacturing and quality control processes are fully compliant with the COP requirements stipulated by the European Union (EU) regulations. As a result, the approved products may be used within the EU market. Astraworks is a proprietary manufacturing innovation system developed and created by REFIRE. It was envisioned to accelerate the scaling up of hydrogen fuel cell production while maintaining rigorous standards through systematized IP development and implementation, automation, machine learning, and quality control.

TÜV NORD acts on behalf of EU authorities providing necessary inspection and testing for vehicle type approval before related products may enter the ECE/EU market. This includes oversight of the entire certification process from submission to the final signature. TÜV NORD’s Asia Pacific Area President & Greater China Chairman, Jun REN, made the presentations in a ceremony at REFIRE’s headquarters in Shanghai.

Robin Lin, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of REFIRE said: “The environmental and technical advantages of hydrogen fuel cells have been known for decades. Now companies in both Europe and Asia are working synergistically to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen and fuel cells in end-user applications. REFIRE was founded on the principle of collaboration because we believe that local and global partnerships are essential to achieve a market breakthrough. We are proud to be granted these certificates by TÜV NORD, as we can now further expand our international collaborations and push towards REFIRE’s vision of mass adoption of hydrogen mobility and power.”

Jun REN, President of Asia Pacific Area and Greater China Chairman of TÜV NORD said: “As an international technical service expert, it is a pleasure for TÜV NORD to work with local companies in China that have global ambitions. We congratulate REFIRE for achieving certification and wish it success in further advancing its technology.” Ren added that against the background of promoting carbon neutrality and emission reduction, “TÜV NORD has been committed to the field of energy conservation and emissions reduction, and can use its rich experience to provide enterprises with professional technical services.”

Named for its quest to “re-invent fire”, REFIRE is a leading global fuel cell systems and technology provider. The company’s vision is to accelerate the mass adoption of zero-emission fuel cell mobility and power through products and services that create sustainable value for users, so the world can “move” and “breathe easy”. REFIRE’s recently inked partnership with Schaeffler AG commits to fostering shared development of key components to service the European market and others that adhere to EU standards.

The global hydrogen market was valued at approximately USD 121 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7 percent from 2021 to 20282. The increase in hydrogen demand is also driven by regulatory support, as governments around the world set aggressive targets to reduce greenhouse gases. China has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and will focus on building up its fuel cell supply chain and developing hydrogen-powered trucks and buses.

About REFIRE

Headquartered in Shanghai, REFIRE is the world’s leading deployer of commercial hydrogen fuel cell zero-emissions technologies. The company specializes in the design, testing, prototyping, application engineering, and production of fuel cell stacks and MEA, power electronics, and integrated fuel cell systems for buses, trucks, specialized vehicles, power supply units, and marine applications.

As of Q1 2021, REFIRE fuel cell technologies and products are powering over 2,700 fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) in daily use in 15 cities across China, as well as various projects in five other countries. To date, combined vehicle mileage exceeds 60 million kilometers.

About TÜV Nord

TÜV NORD Group is one of the three certification bodies authorized by TÜV (Technischer Überwachungsverein). As the world’s leading technical service expert, TÜV NORD Group has set up more than 150 branches or subsidiaries in over 70 countries around the world. In 2019, TÜV NORD celebrated its 150th anniversary. In the course of over 150 years of development, TÜV NORD has developed into one of the top ten certification bodies in the world, from the initial “Association for the Inspection of Steam Boilers”, to becoming an officially authorized technical service company in Germany, continuously expanding its scope and perfecting its services. The core services of TÜV NORD Group mainly cover testing, inspection, certification, consulting, education, and engineering, across sectors including industry, energy, railways, vehicles, environmental protection, IT, natural resources, aerospace, and education & training.

About RDW

The RDW is the Netherlands Vehicle Authority and as such oversees Connected automated vehicle processes related to the vehicle domain.

[1] RDW (Rijks Dienst Wegverkeer) is the Vehicle Authority in the Netherlands and authorized on a European level to oversee certification for incoming vehicles.

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