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Five Applications of Fuel Cells in Industry

On June 11th, an Uno-X hydrogen refueling station exploded in Bærum, Norway. While no one was hurt directly by the blast, the company has shut down more than 10 stations throughout Europe as a result. This incident, which echoed a similar event in Santa Clara this earlier June, may delay the propagation of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). Toyota and Nissan, for example, have paused sales for their fuel cell vehicle cars for the time being. These setbacks for commercial FCVs, however, do not reflect the whole picture on the fuel cell development. Industrial use of FCVs has been flourishing under the radar for quite a while. 

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Forklifts

The most under-noticed use of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is probably in the United States, used by warehouses. According to the US Postal Service (USPS), their Hydrogen Fuel Cell Pilot Project has incorporated 20,000 FCV forklifts into their equipment since late 2018, which is over 30% of the total number of forklifts in the country! In comparison, there were only 5,000 commercially used FCVs by the end of 2018. As the USPS claim, these forklifts “increases the productivity of material handling equipment and [their] operators and saves money by reducing the time and frequency required to refuel or charge” the equipment. 

Other giants, such as Amazon and Walmart, have also switched to using FCVs in their warehouses. Citing faster refuel time and cleaner emission, Bloomberg has commented that this change “eliminates the labor cost of charging batteries” and are “10 percent cheaper over the 10-year life span of an average forklift.” 

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Trucks and Vans

Delivery corporations have also joined in using this technology. This May, DHL announced that it would incorporate at least 100 and up to 500 fuel cell vans by 2020. Similar to USPO’s preference for forklifts, the logistics company claimed that the reduced refueling times stood out as an attractive perk when compared to electric vehicles. 

The port of LA has also investigated using fuel cell technology. As part of the Zero and Near-Zero Emissions Freight Facilities (ZANZEFF) Project, the port has started in April to use ten fuel cell semi trucks to contribute. Equipped with the same type of fuel cell stacks, these semi-trucks, the Kenworth T680, are alike its Toyota Mirai cousin.

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Ferries

Some have even tried to tackle the emissions of ships themselves. Just in April this year, Norled, one of Norway's largest ferry and express boat operators, purchased two 200 kilowatts (kW) modules from Ballard Power Systems Europe to power a hybrid ferry. Planned to start its operations in 2021, the ferry benefits from quicker refueling time and lighter overall weight. As Ingvald Løyning, Norled's Chairman Norwegian company suggests, hydrogen fuel cells in ferries provide a “green historical turning point for both Norled and the rest of the maritime sector.

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Trains

Recent promises to build fuel cell trains that occurred in the UK and Japan also suggest other uses for fuel cell technology. Pioneered in northern Germany, the hydrogen fuel cell trains offer an economical and green method of transport. As no additional electric infrastructure is needed, these trains can wholly reuse diesel train tracks. 

These advantages may be why the UK plans to implement this technology on their railroads by 2022. As part of their push to decrease emissions, the nation has declared to scrap diesel by 2040. Hydrogen fuel cell trains may only help to accelerate this transformation. Similarly, Japan aims to commercialize these vehicles by 2024. 

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As global climate changes pressure nations and industries to decrease emissions, fuel cell technologies are poised towards more growth. Under much demand, the widespread adoption of this technology in the industrial sector may likely spill towards mass commercialization. Soon enough, we will see the normalization of fuel cell vehicles. Additionally, with nations as major advocates of fuel cells, the public will see more safety regulations and preventive measures against explosions like that in Norway. As of now, though, the bulk of fuel cell technologies will remain in the forms of forklifts driving in warehouses, waiting for opportunities to emerge in the commercial sector. 

Tags: Fuel Cell, Hydrogen, Transportation

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