How Haskel is helping to power the path to low carbon HGVs

 

HGV demand is set to skyrocket over the next few years, with the global market projected to rise to $317 billion by 2026. It makes tackling the emissions of HGVs all the more important, if global transport systems are going to remain on the path to net zero. Our recent HGV whitepaper takes an in depth look at both the opportunities and challenges in this sector. Request the whitepaper here.

 

At Haskel, we’re proud to be manufacturing equipment that helps to tackle this global problem at a time of exciting growth in the market. According to the International Energy Association (IEA) global hydrogen demand in road transport increased by 60% in 2021, compared to the previous year. The findings highlight that most of this growth has been driven by HGVs and buses. In fact, the number of heavy-duty hydrogen vehicles in 2021 grew by more than 60 times what they were in 2020.

 

We anticipate this upward trend will only grow as more companies and countries around the world adopt decarbonising solutions. From our R&D site in Sunderland, we’ve scaled capacity to meet this growing appetite, doubling the number of stations being tested on site in 2022. Overall, the plan is to increase output to more than 30 stations per year by 2024 as we ramp up production to meet increasing demand.

 

In some regions we’re already seeing this hard work bear fruit with concrete roadmaps in place to build nationwide hydrogen coverage for HGVs. In New Zealand we’ve partnered with Hiringa, the first company in the country dedicated to the supply of green hydrogen. Together, we plan to rapidly scale the deployment of large-scale hydrogen refuelling stations for HGVs. Over the next 4-5 years this could result in as many as 24 Hiringa high-capacity refuelling stations across New Zealand.

 

Elsewhere, there’s plenty of examples of countries and regions helping to drive innovation in hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. In Europe for example, the most significant development is the Scandinavian Mediterranean Corridor, which will stretch more than 3,900 miles from Helsinki, Finland, to Valletta, Malta, and feature 17 filling stations.

 

It begs the question why are we seeing this rapid growth? Range and adaptability are two key draws. Refuelling systems can be configured to meet the necessary operational and refuelling profile for HGVs and typically range from 100kg/day to 2000 kg/day, enough to fuel up to 50 HGVs. In addition to HGVs, this kind of station can refuel a portfolio of vehicles such as buses, waste collection trucks, vans, cars and other light and medium vehicles.

 

It all makes for an incredibly exciting time to be developing technology in this space, and a critical juncture in the global deployment of hydrogen solutions as the world wrestles with the urgent need to remove emissions.

 

To read more of our report on the role that hydrogen can play in decarbonising HGVS, you can request our recent whitepaper by email at [email protected] or contact us on +44 (0)191 5491212.