Forklift is one of the main business fields of green hydrogen fuel cell
According to the European Environment Agency, at present, logistics and transportation business accounts for 25% of Spain's CO2 emissions, which may continue to rise due to the development of e-commerce. It is necessary to start implementing emergency measures to curb this pollution. Therefore, the company is strengthening its commitment to green hydrogen as one of the future fuels to achieve more sustainability and decarbonization.
Forklifts are one of the main business areas of green hydrogen fuel cells. Although the market penetration rate of these forklifts is still very low, due to the high cost of installing hydrogen refueling stations for these fleets and the complexity in legal and technical aspects, the situation is gradually improving, and more and more people are accepting it.
The lithium forklift, which has a high market share, will now compete with the hydrogen fuel cell, which has a large demand and is on the rise, and become an alternative solution.
Relationship between lithium and hydrogen
"The hydrogen fuel cell enables us to charge the forklift to the maximum level in just two or three minutes. It is also a clean energy, zero emission, and an ideal choice for industry. This is undoubtedly the technology of the future: it is non-toxic, non corrosive, and non radioactive, and enables us to continue to supply without decreasing the availability. As for the percentage of savings, at STILL, we believe that customers should conduct energy conversion in a consistent and reasonable way Because not all technologies can provide the same advantages for each enterprise. To assess this, it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of a wide range of criteria, such as investment, operating costs and infrastructure. In the retail business occasionally used by the fleet, lead acid technology can be a very wise choice. In other stores, due to the intensive use of forklifts and multiple continuous shifts, hydrogen may be a technology suitable for their fleets. To take an intuitive example, Carrefour has used a hydrogen fleet consisting of 137 devices in Vendin Le Vieil in northern France since 2018, and has achieved savings in many aspects: only annual maintenance is required, no charging room or ventilation system is required, and no battery replacement is required. In general, they found that they need fewer forklifts because their forklifts are always running. "Carlos Herrer, product manager of STILL Spain, explained.
"We are working hard to develop our own system to produce for our fleet in our own factory. In this way, we will become the first manufacturer in Europe to have its own fuel cell production." Carlos Herrer, Product Manager, STILL, Spain.
Luis Llera, an expert on energy and safety products at Toyota Material Handling Spain, said: "It is a current and future trend to use hydrogen as an alternative energy source, which is why Toyota Group, and of course Toyota material handling, have been committed to this sustainable fuel for several years in anticipation of market demand. Compared with lithium batteries, it brings benefits in many aspects, and generally highlights its greater operability and charging efficiency. TMHES forklift with hydrogen fuel cells is especially designed for the fleet with high intensity of use In this case, the machine has run several shifts, and battery replacement is very common. In addition, this kind of energy also has some advantages, such as greatly saving refueling time, refueling time does not exceed 3 minutes, and there is no need to replace the battery. It can also optimize the use of space because hydrogen storage requires less space than other alternatives and does not require a dedicated storage area or ventilation system. Another factor that makes hydrogen stand out is that it contributes to zero carbon dioxide emissions. Its only waste is distilled water, making this fuel 100% sustainable energy. In terms of life, the life of hydrogen fuel cells can exceed 10 years. If you need an energy solution that maintains 100% performance throughout its life, this is also a saving. In terms of saving, it is necessary to analyze the return on investment. Considering the investment and operating costs, it is necessary to find the positive return due to the reduction of operating costs (productivity). However, one technology cannot replace another; It is the customer's choice that best suits his needs. This is why we continue to study to provide the best solution, leading to the ultimate decarburization. “
David da Silva, key account manager of Lusilectra Doosan Company (Doosan), also emphasized the charging speed: "The charging speed and efficiency of green hydrogen technology are particularly remarkable. Gas filling can be completed in a few seconds, similar to filling diesel/LPG machines."
An lvaro P é rez, product management manager of energy solutions of Linde Material Handling Ib é rica Company, specifically introduced the advantages of these two technologies: "First of all, it should be pointed out that fuel cells and lithium batteries have common operational advantages. For example, we do not need to replace the batteries, so we save space in the warehouse, because we do not need a room to accommodate them. Another important point is that these two technologies are safe and clean in the processing process. However, fuel cells have incomparable advantages in terms of machine availability, because hydrogen tanks can be installed in just 3 minutes When the lithium battery is full, we need to stop the machine for a period of time to replenish energy. As for saving, it is difficult to quantify a percentage without first studying the customer's needs, the time available for charging, and the investment they are willing to make in infrastructure. At Linde Material Handling Ib é rica, we do not believe that any energy is decisive, but our decision is based on a detailed analysis of the application. "
At the same time, Jorge Garc í a, regional director of Iberia UniCarriers in Spain, explained the update of the company's series: "Our company, Mitsubishi Logisnext Europe, has been updating and integrating the new series within our brand and the needs of our end customers for more than three years. This means great efforts and record time, not only to completely update it in such a short time, but also to adapt it to all the changes in recent years (Phase V internal combustion engines, N11175...). "
cost
At present, the cost of this technology is very high. Therefore, considering this parameter, it is of special significance to analyze how forklift sales evolve.
Luis Llera of TMHES (Toyota Material Handling in Spain) said: "Customers are more and more interested in this sustainable fuel. They are aware of the critical situation of our planet, and they also want to do their part to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, when hydrogen appears and becomes popular as an alternative energy, its demand is large and it is a growth trend. Hydrogen powered forklift has become a reality. It provides many warehouses by helping to reduce the carbon footprint and save cost and time Benefits. Improve operability and make them a medium - and long-term profit option, despite their high initial costs. It is now and in the future to use hydrogen as an alternative energy source, which is why Toyota Group and, of course, Toyota Material Handling Company have been choosing this kind of sustainable fuel for several years by predicting market demand. "
? lvaro P é rez agrees with this apparent demand growth, Detailed description: "If we have received customers' interest last year, this year we can say that it has increased by three times, which helps us accumulate more experience and understand technology. The evidence in this regard is that we can also say that almost 90% of our forklift product portfolio can use fuel cells. As for its cost evolution, based on the analysis of applications, the important point here is the return on investment, so we need to To achieve a more competitive price per kilogram of hydrogen, so that some companies can dare to give El Paso here, it is equally important to mention the importance of public entities in order to promote mergers and access to technology with its support. "
But we can't ignore the cost, Carlos Herrer said: "The cost of entry is very important. It can be said that the cost of forklift truck fleet using hydrogen technology is significantly higher than that of traditional battery technology. There is no doubt that this is a brake for the technology to land in today's industry. However, due to its incredible advantages, and with the cost reduction of hydrogen production, it will occupy a place in the market in the medium term, and will become a technology that will eventually change our industry. Fortunately, many European countries There are already different institutions in continental countries promoting the use of this clean technology and focusing on carbon dioxide emission reduction: the greater the emission reduction, the greater the possibility of obtaining a positive financing response. "
David da Silva added: "At present, it is actually the exclusive use of pioneers. It is a considerable challenge to introduce this technology to the market, but there is no doubt that hydrogen will be the target in the future. Doosan Group has a department specialized in developing such technologies, so it is only a matter of time before we have a complete hydrogen technology series in the field of material handling."
David da Silva, Key Account Manager of Lusilectra Doosan, said: "At present, it is actually the exclusive use of the pioneer. It is a considerable challenge to introduce this technology to the market, but there is no doubt that hydrogen will be the target in the future."
Jorge Garc í a of UniCarriers in Spain said that it is very important to see the development and technology adaptation in the next few years: "Our company and any type of battery supplier (lithium, hydrogen battery, etc.). Of course, when our forklift is updated and ready to operate in an effective and proven way, they will adapt to this type of battery."
Infrastructure required for charging
Carlos Herrer said: "To understand how the hydrogen fleet works, it is necessary to briefly understand how energy is generated, produced, transported and stored Different, hydrogen is not the main energy source. On the contrary, it is an energy carrier, just like electricity, which is produced by using another kind of energy. As a form of energy, hydrogen has many advantages. However, because it is light, it may be difficult to store, transport and distribute because it requires very high pressure (700 bar). The hydrogen required is equivalent to the diesel fuel of diesel forklift. However, hydrogen production, transportation, storage and necessary safety precautions. The infrastructure may vary depending on whether hydrogen is produced on-site by electrolysis or received externally. Therefore, the possible components of the infrastructure are: hydrogen trailers (if hydrogen is delivered), hydrogen electrolyzers (if hydrogen is produced on site), high-pressure compressors, and hydrogen makeup distributors. In the field of internal logistics, the fuel cell is a sealing system that replicates the battery box in shape, size and weight, which we call "Battery Replacement Module (BRM)". Inside BRM are all components required for power generation: fuel cell stack (chemical reaction part), hydrogen tank (350 bar), tank nozzle, lithium ion battery, dehumidifier, including process water, compressor, fan, air filter, electrical system and other components. In a fuel cell, recharged hydrogen is converted into water by adding oxygen from the atmosphere. This chemical reaction produces electrical energy that is used to power the vehicle. At STILL, we see great opportunities for fuel cell technology. That is why we are working hard to develop our own system and produce it for our fleet in our own factory. In this way, we will become the first European manufacturer to produce fuel cells by ourselves. Our goal is that customers will not only receive handling equipment in the future. “
Archaro P é rez said: "If we have received the interest of customers last year, this year we can say that it has increased three times, which helps us to accumulate more experience and understand technology."
á lvaro P é rez also emphasized the difference between the production or purchase of hydrogen: "As for infrastructure, the first thing to consider is whether the consumption of hydrogen proves that it is reasonable to produce hydrogen through an electrolytic cell or on site. On the other hand, it is purchased from a third company. Then we need to store gas under high pressure and finally supply it to the fuel cell through a distributor."
David da Silva also pointed out two options to consider: "At present, two main options are being considered. On the one hand, hydrogen production requires an electric power production plant (from renewable energy sources, making hydrogen green) to combine the electrolyzer and hydrogen tank storage system. On the other hand, we need a supply or supply system, because the hydrogen storage pressure is different from the pressure supplied in the machine tank."
Jorge Garc í a, regional director of Iberia UniCarriers Spain, said: "When our forklifts are updated and ready to run in an efficient and proven way, they will adapt to this type of battery."
Finally, Luis Llera said that Toyota's material handling still follows the same idea, He pointed out that: "The infrastructure can meet the needs of customers in terms of scope and flexibility. One possibility is that hydrogen is generated in the facility itself, which requires hydrogen generators to produce, compress, supply and ultimately store hydrogen generated by renewable energy. On the other hand, the second option is to receive externally supplied compressed gas, which only requires distribution equipment in the vehicle. In any case, the infrastructure will allow expansion of supply capacity (Scalable) and adapt to the possible uses required in the total demand scenario (forklift, heavy vehicle, last mile vehicle, etc.). In addition, compared with other alternatives, the storage of this fuel requires less space, because it does not require a dedicated storage area or ventilation system, as I mentioned above, which can optimize the use of space. In terms of security, the infrastructure allows simple and safe charging, which is due to the numerous functions of the system in this sense (monitoring parameters, sensors, PLC, etc.). "
Jorge Garc í a thought that they did not see such early interest or concern about infrastructure and technology: "At present, we do not have any major customers to put forward any specific requirements for this type of battery. As a member of Mitsubishi Logisnext Group, the Group itself is Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) As one of the companies, we can take advantage of the synergies generated by ML and develop products globally. Similarly, MHI's expertise and experience in developing technology in other areas can be used by us to meet the current and future needs of our end customers. "
