Previously, we spoke about how hydrogen fuel cells work and how the future looks for hydrogen fuel cells in the heavy duty machinery sector, what with Cummins and Komatsu announcing in 2022 that they would be collaborating on developing hydrogen fuel cells for mining industry applications.

But are hydrogen fuel cells worth the investment? Are their advantages enough to ensure that they catch on within the industry?

Advantages of hydrogen fuel cells

Zero emissions at use

The main benefit of hydrogen fuel cells are their ‘zero emissions’ properties. No harmful emissions are released by the generation of energy through hydrogen fuel cell technology; the only by products are heat and water. Cited as the ‘clean fuel of the future’, hydrogen fuel cells offer a potentially cleaner way forward within the heavy duty machinery industry, and the costs associated with handling and storing diesel fuel or toxic battery acid would not apply.

Reliability

Hydrogen fuel cell technology, where used, is very reliable. It can operate at temperatures as low as -40°c with ease, not to mention its applications across all different climates. Hydrogen fuel cells can also be reliably used at scale too, whereas the likes of lithium powered batteries are limited with regards to increasing battery capacity due to structural issues.

Efficiency

Hydrogen fuel cells are 40-60% energy efficient according to US Department of Energy. Compare that to the typical internal combustion engine of a vehicle, running at typically around 25% efficiency. Hydrogen also has an energy density of 120MJ/kg, three times greater than diesel. This means that more energy is generated per kilogram of hydrogen fuel than that of diesel, ultimately leading to cost savings down the line.

So, why aren’t we seeing more hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered heavy duty machinery?

Despite the proposed advantages of hydrogen fuel cells for heavy duty machinery, the technology does have its drawbacks.

Firstly, there is the fallacy that hydrogen fuel is completely clean. While a heavy duty machine running on hydrogen fuel cell power will not release any polluting gases into the atmosphere, the cost to the environment is not free. Hydrogen is, by and large, not harvested using renewables and the process emits significant amounts of carbon dioxide.

‘Grey hydrogen’ is a term used to describe non-clean hydrogen sources, and currently fossil fuels account for 96% of hydrogen production, while ‘green hydrogen’, made using electrolysis and renewable energy only, makes up a mere 5% of hydrogen production.

Storage issues are another one of the large drawbacks concerning hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered heavy duty equipment. Hydrogen is very reactive, and ‘hydrogen embrittlement’ corrodes metals over time. This makes storage both heavy and expensive, reducing its practicality for some within the industry.

What this tells us is that hydrogen technology is far from being a perfect solution to energy within the heavy-duty machinery sector, and industry experts question whether hydrogen fuel cells are really worth it, when other options like reliable low emission diesel or battery powered options exist.

At Jaytrac, we have over 25 years of experience within the industry, supplying replacement parts for Caterpillar, Komatsu and Volvo machinery. Get in touch with our expert team today on 01604 491133 or email sales@jaytrac.co.uk. Alternatively, fill out our contact form and we’ll get back to you promptly.