Opportunities for logistics and warehousing
Transport represents 20% of greenhouse gas emissions[1] in France in 2017. In order to green transport but also storage, hydrogen vehicles (H2) present real advantages. The most important ones are listed below:
- Clean: no CO2 emissions or other gases, only water
- Always available: long battery life and short recharge time
- Powerful: constant power regardless of the tank filling rate
- Efficient: performance independent of outside temperature
- Silent: an electric motor is powered by hydrogen
These advantages are very interesting for companies with transport vehicles making short to medium journeys. Last mile city deliveries, daily rounds, regional deliveries are the best uses for H2 utility vehicles. Vehicles can refuel in less than 5 minutes at a fixed charging station before their tour.
For warehouses, have H forklifts2 makes it possible to be more efficient, especially for cold storage warehouses, where the batteries do not tolerate the cold well. Additionally, for warehouses that already have a battery charging station, hydrogen production and recharging facilities have a double win. On the one hand there is a saving of space, because the stations are more compact. On the other hand there is a saving of time, because the time to fill the tank is shorter than the time to change a battery.
In order to recharge these vehicles with hydrogen, it is possible to produce it within the company. The H2 production station can benefit from green energy produced on site by solar panels for example. As any new construction of more than 1000m² is required to use at least 30% of its surface area to produce energy, it kills two birds with one stone. It is possible to use the same charging station H2 for forklifts and utility vehicles. This therefore allows economies of scale.
Hydrogen, a green chain for energy
Hydrogen is used as fuel by the vehicle via a fuel cell that converts the gas into electric current. The electricity produced is then sent to the electric motor. With 1kg of hydrogen, a car can travel 100km and a trolley has an average autonomy of 8 hours.
There are 3 different categories of H2, depending on CO2 emissions when produced. To know :
- H2 Grey: production by steam reforming of methane, with an emission of 9.3kg of CO2 per kg of hydrogen produced (used for industry).
- H2 Blue: CO2 rejected is captured to be buried in underground pockets (still not widespread).
- H2 Green: production by electrolysis of water with electricity from renewable energy (hydraulic, wind, photovoltaic): no greenhouse gas emissions in the production of hydrogen (process which is developing, supported by the state).
Atawey stations can produce green hydrogen on site using electricity from green energy and water. A station is composed of:
- of an electrolyzer, which dissociates the H2 atoms and O2 water by chemical reaction using electricity.
- a compressor and gas bottles for gas stock.
- a charging hose at 350 or 700 bar to connect to vehicles.
Solutions available immediately
There are more and more utility models on the market: the Kango ZE and the Master ZE from Renault, soon to be joined by Peugeot. Trucks are also in the launch phase and will soon be on the market: Hyundai, Renault or GreenGT. Regarding forklifts, Plugpower already has an offer in the United States and Hyundai has announced a new model.
The price gap is still large compared to models with conventional engines, which is why state aid is being put in place. Each region is developing a hydrogen ecosystem with a network of charging stations and financial aid for the purchase of a vehicle. This aid can go up to €12,000 per vehicle. There is no need to wait until each region has set up a network of stations to launch into hydrogen mobility. Indeed, Atawey offers charging station solutions for businesses whatever their needs, particularly in the start-up phase.
Transport and storage companies which are now beginning their transition to hydrogen mobility are pioneers. They breathe new life into the supply chain and are a reference for others. There are offers that now make it possible to quickly deploy a solution that is adapted to each company.
[1] https://www.statistiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/chiffres-cles-du-climat-france-europe-et-monde-edition-2020-0
To know more : Atawey.com
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