By using fuel cell technology, forklifts powered by hydrogen are rising rapidly. Hydrogen is a clean, high-yield, efficient and carbon dioxide neutral energy solution (if green hydrogen is used), which is very meaningful for multi shift and heavy material handling. Since it is not a standardized procedure like lead-acid battery, the implementation process will always be customized from the perspective of energy strategy. Fuel cell technology is a new way of thinking about process and energy. If you are considering hydrogen as an energy carrier, this article may help you. Since fuel cells are only at the beginning of their innovation cycle, this is the perfect time for early adopters and innovation leaders to switch. A hydrogen project has great potential, but there must be something to consider before contacting change management.
Note that based on local rules and regulations, each country and even each region may have different legislation or guidelines on hydrogen fuel cells. Be sure to check these first.
Have you collected the advantages of hydrogen fuel cells?
Is there room for improvement in terms of time, space and money? How much more flexibility do you need? Is there room for improvement in the logistics process? Do you want to replace diesel or liquefied gas with electricity? Do you want to reduce carbon emissions?
We are sure that you may have conducted an in-depth study on the benefits of hydrogen fuel cells. Fuel cells are flexible, so they can handle peaks more easily and effectively than lead-acid and lithium batteries. No extra batteries are required because you can fully refuel your forklift in only two to three minutes. 0,5-1kg of hydrogen in the oil tank can meet the operation of 8 hours.
Have you drawn the details of your daily operations?
What is the size of your fleet? How many hour shifts do you have? What is your current energy source? Is your driver well-trained and disciplined?
The larger your forklift fleet, the tighter your operation, and the faster your return on investment. Fuel cells are indeed a great asset for some types of operation.
It has a balanced forklift with a load of 1.5 to 5 tons and requires a lot of energy to operate.
Difficult business in electric charging station.
Large scale logistics service providers, everything revolves around productivity.
If you want to make your material handling more sustainable, productive and efficient, we strongly recommend fuel cells. It also makes charging faster and easier and maintains maximum power throughout the battery life.
Fuel cell is an easy to manage energy type. It will save your employees some time because hydrogen fueled forklifts require less maintenance and are easier to refuel. Your employees only need a few minutes. Therefore, when you replace the old lead-acid batteries damaged by poor or careless battery management with easy-to-use hydrogen fuel cells, you will see a significant increase in profits.
Is investing in fuel cells in line with your corporate culture?
Is your company an innovative enterprise? Do you like to invest in new things and keep improving? Do you like working with other companies? What are your ecological footprint and sustainability goals? Are you particularly interested in renewable energy?
Since hydrogen is a new member of the field of environmentally friendly fuel sources, it is an investment for the future. It is important that this investment be consistent with your company's culture and image.
Is investing in fuel cells in line with your company's characteristics?
Does your company supply its own green energy (solar, wind, etc.)? Has your business been connected in any way? Are you building a new business or changing an existing business? Do you have any experience in undertaking large investment projects? What are your company's health needs?
When establishing a new business, it is easier to implement hydrogen because you can directly consider the layout requirements and adjust your facilities accordingly. Of course, with some additional investment, you can make fuel cell related changes to your existing operation if you like. Remember, although switching to hydrogen fuel cells is a huge investment, more and more countries are joining the cause and subsidizing the investment cost of fuel cells locally.
At present, the airport and shipping industry are facing great pressure to reduce their ecological footprint, which makes hydrogen a good choice because if green hydrogen is used, it has no emissions. Hydrogen is also particularly clean and quiet, which is necessary in some operations. Hydrogen can be extracted from a wide range of substances, including water, and is considered to be abundant on our planet. When hydrogen is used in fuel cell engines, the only emissions will be heat and water.
Is it feasible to build a hydrogen station in your premises?
When studying feasibility, the first question to ask yourself is: how likely are you to get permission? The terms and conditions for approving the installation of hydrogen stations vary from country to country. For example, in the Netherlands, the closer your business is to a "residential" or "green" area, the less likely you are to get a license. Of course, there is no license: there is no hydrogen station.
The second question you have to check is whether you can meet the refueling conditions and guidelines set in your country or region. Arrangements must be made to ensure that your hydrogen powered forklift can refuel safely. Similarly, these conditions are limited by countries and regions; For example, in many European countries, this involves a range of 20 meters around the hydrogenation station. Therefore, placing your hydrogen station close to your building will cause some legal problems. Therefore, always check your local guidelines before investing in hydrogen energy. However, when filling gas outdoors, you can build a wall around the gas station to reduce the impact of the surrounding area. If you choose to add gas indoors, you need to add gas pipes to your building.
Of course, the feasibility of your fuel cell project also depends on the availability of hydrogen. Is there a large amount of hydrogen available in your country? Then hydrogen fuel cells may be your stuff; Otherwise, it may be difficult for you to get enough supplies to support your team.
Are you ready for the next step?
Energy experts with expertise will be happy to help you complete this process. Therefore, if you are considering switching to fuel cells, or if you have any questions about this topic, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our energy experts will arrange a meeting to provide you with more information and learn more about your organization. After that, they will create a business case according to your specific needs, layout, objectives, operation methods, etc. Local procedures and local legislation, regulations and subsidies may vary.
Fuel cells are an investment in the future. Today, you can position your company as a modern, environmentally friendly flagship and a sustainable innovation leader. Just remember, hydrogen is not only a green fuel that you can use in your material handling equipment, but also an energy carrier to power your entire logistics chain, from trucks to vans, and even taxis as fuel cells.
