Hydrogen-powered trucks in midst of tests, and proving their worth
Diesel will be difficult to replace, but considering the claims that hydrogen fuel cell-electric trucks may reduce emissions while also providing necessary ranges and sustaining current duty cycles, the time may be right to give them a try.
At the Alberta Motor Transport Association's (AMTA) annual meeting, presenters supporting the technology included Trevor Van Egmond, senior manager—industry innovation. Additionally, he openly invited people to sign up for short-term leases so they could test out the equipment for a few weeks to see whether they could justify their purchase.
During a panel discussion at the event, Laura Guzman, vice president of partnerships at Hydra Energy, stated that hydrogen vehicles can be filled significantly faster than electric vehicles, in less than 10 minutes, and can travel up to 1,000 miles.
In a year or two, more hydrogen vehicles will be on the road, according to David Van Den Assem, head of Alberta Innovates' Hydrogen Center of Excellence.
Opportunities for Testing
But Guzman emphasized that more opportunities for testing and funding for trials were needed to express the technology's commercial readiness.
The distance from a refueling station and the time required to change equipment should be taken into account by carriers who are considering switching to hydrogen fuel, she continued. A diesel-powered vehicle may be converted to hydrogen in two days, according to Hydra Energy, which performs such work in the aftermarket.
The question of manufacturing the fuel itself follows.
According to Jeff Grant, vice president of transportation solutions at HTEC, large-scale manufacturing, distribution, and dispensing will be the most economical method of delivering hydrogen. He noted that the oil and gas industry in Alberta is already making the switch to blue hydrogen, which is produced from natural gas and carbon dioxide is stored.
"Hydrogen must be liquefied in order to be transported economically, just like liquefied natural gas."
According to Guzman, commercial carriers must also be certain that the gasoline is secure and that vehicle performance may be preserved or improved.
For instance, Hydra transforms current automobiles so they may run on a blend of 40% hydrogen and 60% diesel. When the hydrogen runs out, the system automatically converts back to diesel, and it can be used with any make or model of truck. When leases end, the equipment is even transferable to another vehicle and reversible.
Grants and Incentives
Although grants and incentives are available, AMTA's Van Egmond acknowledged that the $400,000 to $500,000 price of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is out of reach for smaller carriers. He said that dual-fuel trucks are eligible for a 50% government price incentive.
In addition to technology development grants, Van Den Assem mentioned federal incentive programs.
Guzman wants the federal and provincial governments to support and fund low-emission car designs similarly to zero-emission ones. Compared to their diesel-burning competitors, each form of equipment hauler costs more.
Harsh Winters
In the interim, there are still operational issues to resolve.
Van Egmond gave the examples of greater insurance prices and weight and dimension restrictions. He claimed that AMTA is pushing for accommodations to accommodate the increased weights brought on by batteries.
The performance impact of frigid temperatures is another topic of discussion. The association will test two hydrogen fuel cell trucks on a closed-circuit track and drive them in the winter between Edmonton and Calgary in an effort to find the answers to these issues. The objective is to make sure they can travel 700 miles on a single hydrogen tank.
Moreover, the clock is running out.
Grant forewarned that Alberta will face competition for equipment from other Canadian provinces and American states as demand for infrastructure increases and lead times are lengthy.