Since mid-May 2023, a factory fleet of 21 fuel cell-powered forklifts have been doing their jobs at Linde Material Handling (MH) in Aschaffenburg, Germany. Around 2.8 million euros went into the design and construction of an innovative on-site H2 infrastructure. The hydrogen production plant stood on 280 m2 (3010 ft2) of the manufacturing and assembly facility after a construction period of only eleven months. The decentralized hydrogen infrastructure on the factory grounds are to serve as a showcase for these technologies to interested customers, as the transport sector urgently needs to curb its CO2 emissions.
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“We’re showing how the use of regenerative energy sources can be done in actual practice,” says Stefan Prokosch, manager at Linde Material Handling. In addition to the climate neutrality – if green H2 is used – the rapid refueling of the industrial trucks during intensive multi-shift operations is a major advantage of hydrogen. “A three-minute refueling time corresponds to a comparable charging power of about 480 kW,” states Prokosch with satisfaction.
The investment of millions is being provided by the German transport ministry and managed by Projektträger Jülich. The aim is to gain experience and build up expert knowledge. This way, customers in the future will be able to receive comprehensive advice for the use of hydrogen in material flow processes. Kurt-Christoph von Knobelsdorff, managing director of NOW, the German administrative agency for hydrogen and fuel cell technology, designated the project in Aschaffenburg a Leuchtturmprojekt (lighthouse project) for the further ramp-up of hydrogen and fuel cell technology. Project planning and construction of the facility took a good three years in total.
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Where lie the challenges?
Hydrogen-powered industrial trucks offer a way to create synergy effects with the use of H2 in both the transport of goods and in industrial production, which would improve the overall economic efficiency. Intralogistics could be a good place to start. And so the BMW factory in Leipzig has employed FC forklifts for years already and since September 2022 has also been using a fuel-flexible hydrogen burner in painting operations (see box).
One of the greatest challenges lies directly in the infrastructure: Hydrogen is not yet everywhere available. And only green H2 gas contributes to achieving the climate targets. Scaling effects are critical for reducing the cost of H2 production. Efficiency must be further improved both in the generation and the conversion back to electricity. Linde MH and parent company KION Group have already invested several million euros in the development and production of fuel cell systems as well as the building of hydrogen infrastructure, including refueling sites.
After having launched their own first 24-volt system for warehouse equipment onto the market, the development of a 48-volt fuel cell system is next on the agenda. A decision to fund this by the German transport ministry has already been made. As a manufacturer of their own fuel cell systems and lithium-ion batteries, they have for example the opportunity to create their own concepts for fuel cell systems that allow greater flexibility in the vehicle construction.
PEM electrolyzer generates 50 kg H2 daily
The sections of the new H2 production plant in Aschaffenburg are a collection of connected modules. The core is a PEM electrolyzer set to produce 50 kilograms of H2 per day. Here, with the help of green electricity, purified and deionized drinking water is decomposed into oxygen and hydrogen. In another container, the hydrogen is compressed to 450 bar in stages. Then, via pipes and valves, the green gas makes its way to high-pressure storage tanks. A control valve system regulates the feeding of the gas through the lines to the fuel dispenser. Employees connect the vehicles here, and within a short time the refueling process is complete. The high-pressure storage is designed so that, at 450 bar, it can store 120 kg H2, and therefore can cover the refueling peaks at shift changeovers.
There are now altogether 21 counterbalance forklifts with FC hybrid systems employed at Linde. Among these, twelve are of the model E50 with a 5-tonne carrying capacity, and nine are E35 with 3.5-tonne carrying capacity. They all replace models with internal combustion engines. As part of the factory fleet, they are responsible for among other things the loading and unloading of trucks and supplying assembly lines with large and heavy components such as counterweights, pre-assembled frames or driver cabs. In the FC system, the hydrogen and oxygen from the ambient air react. The electrical energy generated from this charges a lithium-ion battery that powers the forklift truck. An automated energy management system maps and directs the energy demand across the entire site, avoids load peaks and serves to optimize costs.
Where is the FC system employed?
The FC system HyPower 24V with 7 kW output is tailored to the company’s own MH trucks and was specially developed for use within their material flow processes. Because of the coordination with the lithium-ion batteries of the hybrid system, there is less demand on the FC stacks, which extends their service life. The noise level has been optimized as well. The system is networked and so can exchange data about the condition and usage via the cloud.
Linde MH has been using a prototype FC drive for already more than two decades. Since 2010, the FC forklifts have been in series production. Already today, 80 percent of the counterbalance trucks, tuggers and walkie pallet stackers can be ordered with H2 drives. In studies and projects, Linde MH has shown under which conditions the vehicles with FC drive are already economical today: namely, if a hydrogen infrastructure is already available on site or if high-purity hydrogen is produced as a waste product during an operational process. “Starting from twenty devices in multi-shift operation with high annual operating hours can a switchover currently already be economically worthwhile,” says Sebastian Stoll. He works as program manager of NIP (Nationales Innovationsprogramm Wasserstoff- und Brennstoffzellentechnologie), the innovation support program of NOW.
50,000 FC forklifts in use in the USA
The market for FC MH trucks in the EU holds great potential. Annually in the counterbalance forklift segment of the Europe market, around 70,000 devices with combustion engines (German class 4/5) are sold that could be replaced with electric drives. In addition, 60,000 to 80,000 class 1 material handling trucks with lead-acid batteries are replaced by new equipment annually. Both together represent the theoretical potential for this segment, reports Stoll. “The lead market for FC industrial trucks is currently quite clearly the USA, where over 50,000 FC MH trucks were in use mid-2022 – with a strong upward trend.”
In order to be able to make statements about future market potentials in the EU, it is necessary to recognize the megatrends and drivers in warehouse intralogistics, expressed Stoll. The growing share of online trade – with ever shorter processing times, digitalization and outsourcing – brings with it more cost pressure and competition. On the other hand, this industry must also be decarbonized. Other air pollutants and noise emissions must likewise be reduced.
The growing interest is being met by FC forklift manufacturers. For example, the US market leader Plug Power has established a European technical center in the port of Duisburg. German fuel cells for intralogistics are offered by Globe Fuel Cell Systems, FES Fahrzeug Entwicklung Sachsen and, of course, Linde MH. The three companies are also members of Clean Intralogistics Net (CIN). This network supported by the German transport ministry is a banding of twelve companies along the entire value chain to promote the breakthrough of hydrogen and fuel cell technology in intralogistics.
BMW uses fuel-flexible H2 burner in factory in Leipzig
The BMW Group factory in Leipzig is piloting the, according to its own statement, first automobile production with this innovative burner technology. The H2 burner used in paint drying can burn hydrogen, methane or a mixture of the two. Use of the dual-fuel burner is now in an initial pilot run. Currently, the Leipzig factory has over 130 FC material handling trucks in its fleet. Five H2 fueling stations stand on the factory grounds. The newest of these even allows for fully automated tanking.
In transport beyond the factory gates as well, the BMW Group together with partners is testing the use of hydrogen, with the goal of decarbonization, and is engaged in two research projects. H2Haul involves the development and pilot deployment of 16 FC cargo trucks in Belgium, Germany, France and Switzerland. With the project HyCET, BMW is leading a consortium to advance the development of H2 trucks with combustion engines.
Green hydrogen is an important building block of the energy transition. With its help, regenerative energy can be stored and used as needed in a wide variety of sectors. But how will the generation, storage, distribution and use of hydrogen come together? An answer to this question is the goal of the project H2VL of the regional district (Landkreis) Havelland: Various local players along the entire hydrogen value chain are being identified, networked and supported in the implementation of their projects – from production through distribution to use. For this, Havelland is being supported by the German transport ministry, through the hydrogen and fuel cell innovation support program NIP2, with nearly 400,000 euros as one of the 15 winners of the title HyExpert Region.
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In the H2VL network are represented nearly 140 stakeholders from 75 different organizations – from companies and municipalities to advocacy groups and research institutions. The environmental ministry of the district in Brandenburg is leading the project and supporting the H2 developments from the political side. Funding is being coordinated by NOW GmbH (federal hydrogen and fuel cell agency) and administered by project manager Projektträger Jülich (PtJ).
“With the hydrogen generated locally with renewable energies and then used directly in the local transportation sector, a valuable contribution to climate protection in the Havelland can be made.”
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Nico Merkert, Havelland environmental office director
The project will be accompanied for one year by a consortium of hydrogen and transportation experts. The Reiner Lemoine Institut (RLI) is leading the project on the contractor side and will have scientific support from IAV Ingenieurgesellschaft Auto und Verkehr, Consulting4Drive and the Institut für Klimaschutz, Energie und Mobilität (IKEM). At the end of the project, the findings will be summarized in a regional feasibility study.
Proximity to implementation is important
One of the most important building blocks of the H2VL project is the cooperation with local players in the field of hydrogen. Specifically, cooperation has taken place in a variety of formats: In the beginning, the focus was on getting to know each other in bilateral talks and on-site meetings. Systematic data was requested from all stakeholders with a survey. In eight workshops, the participants were networked with each other and were able to learn about projects within and without the Havelland. This has led to the players now knowing each other well and, furthermore, driving forward joint projects.
The project has been developed as five packages. In addition to the project and stakeholder management described above, the entire value chain of a green hydrogen economy was considered
Hydrogen production
If the hydrogen is produced locally from renewable energies (RE) and used later on, this offers the advantage of regional value creation. It is important that citizens and communities benefit directly and indirectly from RE and H2 generation in their neighborhoods. That is why the project will focus on regionally anchored stakeholders. The Havelland has enormous potential for renewable energy generation. About 1 GW of photovoltaic and 2.5 GW of wind power would be technically possible.
Even if only a small portion of these potential areas were used, it would allow large amounts of RE to be generated and used for, among other things, hydrogen production. How much hydrogen can be produced and for what price depends on the price of electricity, the electrolyzer full load hours and the ratio of installed RE to electrolyzer capacity (see Fig. 2). Depending on the operator model, production costs between 7.80 and 9.70 euros per kilogram of hydrogen are likely for the Havelland.
“We see that in the Havelland there is great potential for generation of renewable energies and therefore also of green hydrogen. To leverage this potential, it is important that the people in the Havelland benefit from the establishment of the hydrogen economy. That is why in the project we’re putting value on regional value chains and the inclusion of municipal businesses.”
Anne Wasike-Schalling, Reiner Lemoine Institut
In addition to hydrogen production from renewable energies, the company Neue Energien Premnitz is also planning to generate H2 from waste materials. Specifically, this means that the non-recyclable waste from the company Richter Recycling are to be used for incineration with waste recovery, also called thermal recycling (see H2-international October 2021). The land for the plant has already been secured, and the procedure for approval in accordance with German emissions law (BImSchG) is underway.
Hydrogen demand
Hydrogen can be employed in many sectors, and can be used as a starting material or replace fossil energy sources. In Havelland, the transport and industrial sectors in particular were examined. For the industrial companies in Havelland, hydrogen would more often than not replace the natural gas used up to this point. For this to be economically feasible, the price corridor for green hydrogen would have to be between about 5 (natural gas parity price) and 10 euro cents per kilowatt-hour (corresponds to 1.67 to 3.33 euros per kg of hydrogen). This is not foreseen as happening within the next few years. The use of hydrogen as a chemical resource in the Havelland is not established at this time.
In the transport sector, various modes of transportation were highlighted. In local rail travel and shunting operations, the employment of hydrogen is imaginable, but no concrete demand quantities are foreseeable at present. In road traffic, the focus is primarily on heavy vehicles or those with long ranges. Because of the higher energy density of hydrogen compared to the electric battery, its advantages could prevail here.
For the conversion from diesel to hydrogen, comprehensive cost considerations over the entire life cycle (total cost of ownership) were carried out with stakeholders. These show, for example, that for the operation of a public transport bus fleet, if the green hydrogen costs between 5.90 and 7.50 euros per kilogram, cost parity with diesel vehicles can be achieved. That is a large distance from the current probable cost of hydrogen production (see above).
To nevertheless enable business models in the ramp-up phase, the German government has expanded the incentives around the Treibhausgasminderungsquote (greenhouse gas reduction rate, THG-Quote). Consequently, the putting of green fuels such as hydrogen into circulation will enable additional rewards through so-called selling of the THG-Quote from low or zero emissions product owners to companies that will not sufficiently reduce their emissions.
Storage and distribution
Hydrogen can be stored and transported in various ways. With stakeholders and in the feasibility study, various types of storage and transport were discussed. Critical for the planning of the stakeholders is also the planned starting grid Brandenburger H2-Startnetz. This will be gradually expanded. Through this, more and more different locations within the Havelland will become part of a supraregional hydrogen supply network.
Various parts of the value chain of a hydrogen economy were joined using actual players in the last work package. In order to be able to realize efficient business models, both the generation and the demand side need consideration. In two regional clusters, possible supply chains were outlined, analyzed and further developed together with stakeholders.
Cluster Östliches Havelland (eastern cluster)
In this cluster, the consortium is currently exploring along with regional energy provider GASAG whether and how the company’s planned electrolyzer in the city Ketzin can be built and operated economically and the hydrogen can be made available to the regional transport sector. As potential consumers of the hydrogen due to sufficient theoretical quantities, the consortium is of the opinion that portions of the municipal fleets in nearby Nauen would be the most suitable option at this time. There is general interest in a partial conversion to H2 drives for these fleets. The economic viability is currently being examined separately in detail.
Initial rough calculations also show that when both sides are considered together, a regional value chain from production to distribution, refueling stations and consumption could be conceivable under certain conditions, for example subsidies. However, several parameters still need to be clarified. Players in the transport logistics industry in the area Wustermark-Brieselang are also being considered in this cluster, as they could represent further anchor customers.
Cluster Westliches Havelland (western cluster)
Rathenower Wärmeversorgung, the heating provider for the city Rathenow, is working on a project for the production of climate-friendly heat. This is to occur through the company’s own renewable energy generation in combination with a power-to-heat plant. The renewable electricity will be directly converted into district heating in this way. To optimally use the fluctuations in RE generation, the installation of an electrolyzer is additionally under consideration. The intent is to use energy surpluses to produce green hydrogen. Incidentally, the waste heat from the electrolyzer can also be used in the district heating network. Wasser- und Abwasserverband Rathenow, with its fleet of sewage suction vehicles, could be a regional H2 consumer.
Furthermore, stakeholders are encouraged to continue independently networking themselves. The digital hydrogen marketplace Wasserstoffmarktplatz Berlin-Brandenburg enables the decentralized networking of all participants and also the targeted search for specific players in the value chain. Stakeholders can also network beyond the scope of the H2VL project.
Authors: Anne Wasike-Schalling, Reiner Lemoine Institut gGmbH, Berlin, anne.wasike@rl-institut.de, Nico Merkert, Landkreis Havelland, nico.merkert@havelland.de
In Erftstadt, a city near Cologne, grid energy provider GVG Rhein-Erft and distribution operator RNG are currently testing the effects of blending 20 volume percent hydrogen in the natural gas network there. The interim results of the field test running since October 2022 are thoroughly positive. All of the connected gas consuming installations, according to independent test organization TÜV Rheinland, are running 100 percent problem-free. Citizens as well as the businesses connected were able to use their devices like usual throughout the whole heating season. The consuming devices did not need to be altered in order to use the gas blend. The gas tightness of the network was unaffected.
Up to now, only a blending of 10 vol.% hydrogen has been allowed for the German gas grid. The test confirms that “both the gas network and the connected gas consuming installations can tolerate twice that amount of hydrogen blending,” as stated by Reiner Verbert, project manager at TÜV Rheinland. This test is the first to be carried out in a low calorific gas grid in Germany. The field test is to run until the end of December of this year. A total of 100 households from the city regions of Niederberg, Borr and Friesheim are taking part in it.
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The area is particularly well suited for this pilot run important for the energy transition because the network of about nine kilometers (6 miles) was only just built in 2007 – so the technical state is very modern. The distribution lines and house connections are also easy to monitor. Both the network topology and device technology of the test households are therefore especially suited to provide informative results before transferring this innovative system to other areas of the country.
The technical university TH Köln has programmed a free online calculator intended to make the construction as well as design of electrolysis stations easier. Prof. Peter Stenzel from the Cologne Institute for Renewable Energy explained: “In one of my lectures, the question came up of how to support construction planning agencies or industrial companies in the conception of such plants. Students and staff of the institute accordingly developed the Electrolysis Calculator, which enables an initial rough design to be made based on the outputs.”
The tool shows, for example, how many full load hours a planned system would be in operation, how much hydrogen would be produced and which use cases would be possible. The basis for the calculations is the relative ratio of electricity sources for operation of the electrolyzer. In addition, it is possible to specify how large in capacity the electrolysis plant should be.
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Stenzel explained further: “To make the result more visual, our tool also shows possible use cases for the transport, industry and building sectors: How many fuel cell cars or buses could run for a year on the amount of hydrogen generated? How many tonnes of crude steel could be produced with it? How many residential buildings with condensing boilers could be heated for one year with the hydrogen or with the generated waste heat?”
Behind us lies an extraordinary period with a plurality of crises: pandemic, war, climate catastrophe, energy scarcity, inflation, etc. Even if the acute phase of the pandemic is over, other crises are still ongoing and will presumably remain with us for some time to come.
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Nevertheless, in the meantime, some things have settled into place. Inflation is not rising further at least, and the natural gas situation has been mastered, for the time being. Even the blackout predicted by some after the shutdown of the last three remaining nuclear power plants in Germany did not materialize. Instead, there is more renewable energy in this country than ever before – particularly in the electricity sector.
A good opportunity to take a breath and take stock of the situation: Where do we stand today? How is the energy transition progressing? What has been achieved so far in H2 and FC technology?
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I have been engaged in hydrogen and fuel cells since 1997. At that time, this topic was a teeny-tiny niche. Fuel cells seemed interesting because they emit only hot air – only steam –and no harmful carbon compounds at all. There was hardly any literature on them; only a few research activities and demonstration projects. Federal support programs for them were nil.
A few car manufacturers were “already” experimenting with metal hydride storage for FC cars in the 1990s, and others with hydrogen. At the turn of the millennium, the first H2 and FC trade fairs and congresses emerged, but a portion of these disappeared again shortly after.
Optimistic developers joyfully announced back then that hydrogen-powered vehicles would be on the roads in 2004, and fuel cell-powered heaters in basements. Instead of series production, however, what followed were promises that it would finally happen in 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2017. H2 hype followed H2 hype, but of a market, there was no sign.
At times, the fuel cell had already been laid to rest – at least in the media. Several areas of application that were considered at the time lost interest. For example, the fuel cell-powered movie camera or the FC cargo bike.
New momentum first came into play in the 2010s, when hydrogen was being contemplated as a storage medium for renewable energies. Until then, it had always been said: Energy storage isn’t something we need. It was only when the idea of sector coupling emerged that it gradually became apparent that hydrogen could be a suitable medium for this purpose.
During this time, buzzwords such as power-to-gas, decarbonization and electrification emerged. The fuel cell fell little by little out of focus; however, increasingly more sights were set on hydrogen.
Nevertheless, several years passed in which the much-invoked Energiewende (energy turnaround) did not really gain ground. It took events like Fukushima, Dieselgate, debates on the health-related limits of emissions, and the founding of Fridays for Future until it became clear to political decision-makers as well that we can’t get by without hydrogen.
What then followed was the European Green Deal and numerous national hydrogen strategies in many countries around the world. The first large commercial and industrial businesses began to change their strategy and – at least partially – turned away from fossil energy structures.
It became increasingly clear that solar and wind power, – contrary to the many prior negative prognostications – together with suitable energy storage, have the potential to defossilize not only the power sector but also other energy sectors.
Most recently since the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, it has become obvious that the times of cheap fossil energies are over, once and for all – which is positive in multiple respects. Because high prices for natural gas, oil and coal, which are likely to keep rising due to the growing cost of CO2 certificates, not only reduce energy consumption, they demand a change to more decentralization as well as more independence.
But where do we stand now?
Today, we have available to us almost too many H2 trade fairs and congresses – worldwide. We have investment commitments in the billions from major corporations. We have political strategies for establishing a Europe-wide H2 backbone in order to distribute renewable energies in the form of H2 gas across the continent.
We also have, however, millions of citizens who are very unsure and fearful of the future. Many cannot afford either heat pumps or electric cars. So their complaints are loud but, at the same time, understandable. That is why it is all the more important today to explain the energy transition, as well as H2 and FC technology, in a way that makes sense.
We are at the beginning of a gigantic transformation process that demands a lot from us all. At the same time, this process holds immense potential for development and redevelopment. That’s why it’s crucial to talk more about opportunities and less about problems.
I am absolutely certain that this process of change is possible without substantial loss of prosperity. We can show how new jobs can be created, how sustainable environmental standards can be set, how resources can be conserved, and at the same time how the standard of living can at least be maintained, if not improved– worldwide even.
A prerequisite for this, though, is that we do not leave everything up to the free market, but rather create suitable framework conditions that offer sufficient freedom to act but also planning security and, above all, are generation-fair.
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