Grundon, the UKs largest waste management and environmental service company, began trials with ULEMCo’s dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel technology in 2018.
KiwiH2 will be offering customers a bundled leasing and fuel package for a monthly fee. “This package will provide businesses with a cost-effective way to immediately reduce their carbon emissions, making it an ideal transition technology for existing diesel fleets and putting industrial businesses on track to meet the 2050 emissions targets.” KiwiH2 CEO Victoria Sim concurs: “We believe that some emissions reduction right now is critical rather than waiting for new technologies to be commercialised that will eventually arrive in Aotearoa New Zealand in the medium term. We consider there is real social value in providing a choice for New Zealanders to capitalise on the awareness and support for change as soon as possible. “It’s essential that all industrial vehicle owners, be they single owner-operators, SMEs or large industrial corporates in New Zealand are made aware of the opportunity to reduce their emissions today. We have deliberately structured the business model for delivering the product (long-term leases with bundled fuel) to remove complexity and upfront costs to ensure that it is accessible to all industrial vehicle owners,” Sim says. For the present, neither EECA or KiwiH2 are prepared to
release details of the fleet(s) involved in the trial, the truck models or their work cycles, citing confidentiality. However, KiwiH2 has released some details of the conversion technology. The onboard storage tanks (total volume will vary from vehicle to vehicle depending on available space) will operate at a pressure of 350-bar (5000psi), as will the associated refuelling nozzle, pipework and regulators. From a safety viewpoint, the control system is fitted with both dynamic and static leak detection and a pressure relief mechanism. Should anything untoward happen, the flow of hydrogen will be cut off immediately. In addition, a side impact absorbing framework will be fitted around the tanks, which are sited either under the chassis or behind the cab for minimal intrusion into load space. Depending on available space and range desires, the hydrogen tanks and delivery systems will add up to 200kg to the vehicles’ tare weights. ULEMCo’s control system is calibrated to produce the same performance as the base engine, meaning there’s no observable difference from the driver’s seat. And should the hydrogen run out, the system will automatically revert to full Truck & Driver | 73
